Memories of Days Bygone
by Pranktical Joker
Summary: Destiny Islands have seen the highs and lows of the lives of three siblings. This is their story. Takes place a few years before A Life Worth Living. For Inmate XIV's 100-Theme Challenge. AU, Ven/Roxas/Sora sibling fic.
1. Birth

_Pre-note: As I've said in the summary, this entry here is for Inmate XIV's 100 Theme Challenge. Hopefully I can make it through_**—**_this is gonna be a wild ride. So, please sit back, relax, and enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**I. Birth**  
_477 / 500_

"Ven! Ven!"

At the sound of his name, the boy in question stood up to see his two little brothers who looked different from each other: the older one had blond hair while the younger, brown. Lively as ever, they dashed toward him, bringing with them their pencils and some sheets of paper. It was as though they wanted to ask for his autograph.

When they got by his side, one of them wasted no time in communicating their intention. "Tell us a story about when we were born!"

Ven made an amused expression. It was unusual for them to be interested about their past. "Hmm? What for, Sora?" he asked.

"Our English assignment," replied the blonde child. "The teacher told us to make a passage about when we were born."

"And she said me and Roxas can write the same thing since we're twins!" the brunet joined.

Hearing this, Ven nodded in understanding. That explained why they had brought pencils and paper. Again, he sat down on the sofa, prompting the children to follow suit. They were as ready as could be, their eyes peeled and ears perked.

And so, he began. "So, on the thirteenth of July, seven years ago…"

* * *

_Ventus Skylers had gone through many happy days, but that particular one around seven years ago sure put all others to shame._

_He was extremely amazed when he first saw Roxas and Sora who looked safe and comfortable in their respective pieces of soft cloth. They, he recalled, were the tiniest human beings he had ever seen in his life! It was just unfathomable how someone could be that frail and helpless, yet so adorable at the same time._

_When he held Sora in his arms, this uniquely satisfying feeling washed over him. He was lighter than he had expected him to be, yet from his being an intrepid drive to live his life overflowed. Roxas felt similar: simple, pure, and clean, although he somehow had this calm, almost noble air to him._

_Roxas' eyes suddenly opened. That was Ven's first time looking at the full beauty of his brother's face; at that very moment he became transfixed by the innocent gaze cast by those big blue eyes identical to his own. After snuggling in Ven's arms and making himself comfortable, Roxas returned to sleep once again._

_A single drop of tear made its way down Ven's cheek. He couldn't express in words how happy he was for having met the newborns. A promise—an oath, even—he then made; he resolved to be a good big brother and that they wouldn't have to worry about anything, because he would always be there for him._

_"You see if I don't, Roxas, Sora," Ven said with a resolute nod as a smile made its way to his face. "Because I love you. I do, and I always will…"_

* * *

_Post-note: The chapters of this story will not be in chronological order. After all, they're just a collection of short stories. And assuming everything goes well, there will be three new chapters every week, so it'll probably take around eight months before all chapters have been published. Stay tuned!_


	2. Colours

_Thank-yous: to Natalis Orbis for reviewing, favouriting, and following._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**II. Colours**  
_486 / 500_

Roxas and Sora were truly happy.

Their plan to play on the beach together with Ven had almost been spoiled by the rain. The inclement weather had come unexpectedly; the morning had been sunny, but moments later the wind picked up and dark clouds came about to unleash their force.

Fortunately, it hadn't lasted long. As soon as the rain subsided and the waves calmed down, Roxas and Sora immediately they took off their clothes and made their way to the beach which in fact was their backyard—such was one of the perks of having a seaside house. Once there, they entered the water to have a blast.

However, upon noticing that Ven was only sitting on the shore, Sora took Roxas by the hand, got out from the water, and approached him. "Ven! Why don't you play with us?" he asked.

"Me? I was looking at that," replied the blonde, his finger pointing at something behind them.

When Roxas and Sora turned around, they saw a feast for their eyes. There, standing majestically before them, was a band of seven distinct, saturated colours. Since it reached to the heavens above, only one end was visible, but it didn't stop the little kids from being awestruck.

"Whoa… that's awesome," Sora marvelled, his eyes wide in amazement. "Right, Rox? I've never seen a rainbow this intense!"

Roxas nodded in agreement. Then, thanks to his inquisitive mind that hungered for knowledge, he came up with a question. "Where do rainbows come from, Ven?"

This question was a test for Ven. It wasn't that he didn't know how a rainbow came to be. Instead, it was that he had to keep his explanations simple so as not to confuse Roxas and Sora with technical terms unfamiliar to children their age.

Hoping his words would suffice, he began. "You see, sunlight is made up of all kinds of colours. When it passes through a raindrop, it gets separated into each of them and forms a rainbow."

"But why are there only seven colours? You said there were all kinds," asked Roxas again.

"Hmm… actually there are lots of colours in there, but our eyes can only perceive some of them."

"So that's why we can only see seven?"

"I guess so, yeah… but anyway!" Ven said as he stood up and raised his camera to eye level. "Why don't you stand over there? This'll make a great picture!"

With shouts of excitement, the children complied with Ven's suggestion. They positioned themselves such that through the lens, they were standing just beside the end of the rainbow. When they had decided on a pose, they signalled at Ven to immortalise the moment.

"Okay! One, two, and… three!"

Thus, the picture of Roxas and Sora overarched by the rainbow, grinning innocently, was taken. This would be a picture Ven would never trade with anything in this world, not even with his life.


	3. Friends

_Thank-yous: to Dannychris57 for favouriting and following._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**III. Friends**  
_491 / 500_

_"Ven, what's a friend?"_

_Typical of him, Ven crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head, all while working up a simple explanation digestible by a four-year-old's brain. "A friend, huh? When you've got someone you feel comfortable being with, then you can say he's your friend."_

_"So, since I always feel happy when I'm with you and Sora, you two are my friends?" asked Roxas again._

_"No, no! That's different," Ven laughed at his little brother's cluelessness. "You're my and Sora's brother. A brother is, um… more than a friend. A brother is the best thing you could ever ask for, just like you and Sora are to me."_

_With that, Ven gave Roxas a hug that would surely make Sora jealous—luckily said boy wasn't around. He lifted the kid high in the air and swung him around like an airplane, causing him to let out an excited laughter. After that, he cuddled him and ruffled his blond spikes of hair affectionately._

_When Ven finally slacked his grip, Roxas hopped out of his embrace and spoke again. "So, Ven, a brother can't be your friend? And a friend can't be your brother?"_

_"Well, let's just say… a friend is your brother or sister outside the family," replied Ven. He was amazed at how sharp Roxas was despite his age._

_"So a friend is someone outside the family you're happy to be around?"_

_"Yup, you got it."_

* * *

Roxas never liked it whenever Riku came over to play. Everybody was unanimous in saying that the silver-haired boy was indeed Sora's friend, but was he really?

Riku never acted like a friend should. Instead of playing nice, he always bullied them. Roxas hated how the guy stated that he should always be the king, the prince, the good guy, or whatever while he and Sora always got stuck with the role of the bad guys.

Also, despite being outnumbered two-to-one, Riku never wanted to accept defeat. He would just twist the rules on the fly to his advantage. Roxas saw this as unfair, really; no matter how well he and Sora had fought, they would always lose because of Riku's 'flexibility'.

"I can do this because I'm older than you," he had once said. "That means I make the rules and choose who becomes what. You two have to obey me."

That explanation contradicted what Roxas had known all along. He remembered Ven had promised to protect him and Sora and put them first before himself since he was older. He knew for a fact that Ven was a good big brother because of this.

He then remembered their conversation some time ago. A friend should be a person outside the family someone was comfortable with; why, then, did Sora think of Riku as his friend? The guy certainly wasn't a fun person.

Roxas just couldn't understand. Was there something else to this thing called friendship?

What, indeed, was a friend?


	4. Laughter

_Thank-yous: to Neverland Flowers13 and zombiecake11290 for favouriting and/or following._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**IV. Laughter**  
_475 / 500_

"Hey, Sora, check this out," Roxas called out to his brother, a book on his hand. When he was sure the brunet was listening, he continued. "It's said that when you tickle your own ribs, it's not as ticklish as when someone else does that to you."

"Really?" asked Sora, a tinge of scepticism in his voice.

"I didn't say that, the book does," came the reply. "But I think it's true. I tickled myself and didn't feel anything."

Tempted to test the theory, Sora gave himself a tickle. He was surprised that the book was actually telling the truth. A mischievous thought then came across his mind; he lunged at Roxas and pinned him against the bed, his hands finding their way to the unsuspecting kid's side.

Needless to say, the blonde broke out in a furious fit of laughter at the uncomfortable, yet pleasant, sensation. He tried to overpower Sora, but it was no use; the younger brother was physically stronger than him.

Desperately gasping for air, Roxas admitted defeat after several seconds of tickle torture. "Sora! I can't—hahaha—breathe! Sora, I—hehehe. I give up! Stop—VEN, HELP—HAHA!—HELP ME!"

Since he too had had enough, Sora stopped right there and then. He let go of Roxas and sat up, allowing the latter to catch his breath he needed so badly. With a triumphant grin, Sora pumped his fist as though beating his brother had been a big deal.

"What was that for!?" Roxas yelled, although his laughter foiled his attempt to impose an angry façade. The twisted expression on his face made Sora snort in amusement. "Don't laugh! That's not funny… why did you do that?"

"You don't wanna know if the second part is true?" Sora asked back.

"I already know that," Roxas sighed in exasperation. "That really tickled, if you really need to know! Why me?"

"You're the only one in—"

"What's going on?"

Sora was cut off mid-sentence by a voice. In the doorway stood Ven; he had heard Roxas' cries for help, which was the reason why he was now here. However, other than verbally retaliating against each other, he saw that nothing had happened to the kids.

Seeing Ven, something in Roxas and Sora's collective mind clicked. As though in sync with each other, they exchanged a knowing look and produced an impish smirk.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Rox?"

"Yeah. Let's get him."

The nefarious glimmer in the children's eyes unnerved Ven to no end. For a moment there he felt like he had walked straight into a lion's den; if he still wanted to escape from Roxas and Sora unscathed, he had to do it now, and fast. "I, uh… you know, I think I kinda have to go—"

"CHARGE!"

A certain eighteen-year-old's laughter could then be heard echoing through the house for five solid minutes.


	5. Sadness

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**V. Sadness  
**_492 / 500_

"Heh, you loser!"

"Yeah! Go cry for your mommy!"

"Boo-hoo! What a wimp!"

The trio left the playground while jeering at Roxas, leaving him there all by himself. Nobody else stood up for him, really. They just stayed where they were and watched as he endured the humiliation.

That group of kids, the local bullies, had come out of nowhere and challenged him to something. Since he wasn't interested, Roxas refused politely so as not to offend their feelings. He shouldn't have.

The bullies were having none of it, so they began calling him names and told him he was such a sissy. They snatched his book and shoved him to the ground when he tried to take it back. Then, to his horror, the oldest of the bunch tore the pages apart, shredded them, and let the wind carry the pieces away.

Roxas was very dumbstruck he couldn't form words. He stayed silent as they made their leave, his eyes fixed on what was left of the book given to him by Ven for acing three consecutive tests. He couldn't cry, for he would draw more laughter and things would get even worse.

Struggling to keep his emotions at bay, he did the only thing he could do. Carrying the book with him, he walked back home without even waiting for Sora to finish playing with his friends, ignoring the looks and whispers other children aimed at him.

When Ven saw him enter the house, Roxas stopped for a while to look at him, but didn't answer his question as to why he was alone. Ven caught the very sad look in his eyes; he could tell something had happened to Roxas, and he couldn't take much more before yielding.

Saying nothing, Roxas then scurried off to his room. When Ven tried to open the door, it was locked, although he could hear muffled cries from inside.

Ven's repeated attempts to gain access to the room were in vain. He sighed in defeat and decided to wait until later; perhaps by then Roxas would have been more willing to talk. With that, he made his way to the living room.

It was then that an object on the table caught his attention: a book with green cover. He recognised it as his gift to Roxas, but something was off about it. Upon closer inspection, he saw that most of the pages had been torn off, which was much to his shock and dismay.

Now he understood how his brother must have felt. Roxas loved and treasured the book so much; there was his heart in that book… but now it had been ripped to pieces.

Once again, Ven knocked on his brother's door, but it was no use. "Leave me alone, Ven…" was all he said.

Ven was confused. He wanted to comfort Roxas, but how could he if he wasn't allowed to?

Truth be told, it made him sad, too.


	6. Crush

_Thank-yous: to Xehanorto and PurplePantherXVI for reviewing, favouriting, and/or following._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**VI. Crush**  
_497 / 500_

That evening, three children of around the same age could be seen frantically running around the house. They looked desperate in finding a spot to hide from their red-haired friend who was still in the process of counting until thirty.

Sora made his way to the kitchen, but Roxas prevented Xion from following him; instead, he took her hand and guided her to his room. Since the room wasn't too big, their best bet was the space behind the door. Roxas instructed Xion to stay behind him while he observed the hallway.

"Sora's too predictable, so Lea will get him first," he said. "Once Sora screams, we'll go and run to the post."

"But… what if we get caught?" Xion asked apprehensively.

"No! We won't get caught. I promise I'll keep you safe," said Roxas again, this time while swinging his arms around as though slashing through monsters. "You don't have to be scared. Okay?"

At those words, Xion felt warm inside. Although she still maintained her grip on Roxas' wrist, she was assured and gave a nod. With that, Roxas continued keeping watch over the situation outside.

Xion couldn't divert her attention from Roxas' face. She continued to study his countenance; he had pulled a tough-guy face behind which he hid his anxiety. That, combined with his promise to keep her safe, was really sweet of him…

Roxas wasn't aware of the blush that had crept to Xion's face. He was busy being vigilant; right now, Lea must have made his way to the kitchen and Sora could give the cue they needed any second now.

He was spot-on. Sora's scream and laughter soon rang through the house. Lea had found him, and must right now be chasing the life out of him.

This was the moment. Ready to bring his plan to life, Roxas turned around. "Now's our—"

A kiss to his cheek silenced him.

It was Xion's doing, and she pulled away as quickly as she had advanced.

Wide-eyed and speechless, Roxas stared at Xion as though he had just seen a ghost. "Xion? Why did you…?"

Blushing madly, Xion brought her head down to avoid looking at her friend in the eyes. "… you're cute… Roxas."

His face flushed and his heart racing, Roxas too brought his gaze to the ground. Those words Xion had just said made him feel all tingly inside, and he found himself fighting this urge to smile. It was a whole new experience for him.

The silence lasted so long they failed to notice Lea entering the room. The older boy just stood there, observing how each of them actually wanted to tell each other something but simply didn't have the courage to.

"Uh, what are you two doing?" he finally spoke up, garnering surprised reactions from his younger friends. "Your faces are red. Are you sick?"

But of course they didn't answer. Suffice it to say, Lea would never know what had transpired between Roxas and Xion…

* * *

_Post-note: Sorry if it didn't really end up conforming with the theme! This was the best I could do for this chapter… hopefully the fluff made up for it!_


	7. Favourite Outfit

_Thank-yous: to Neverland Flowers13 for reviewing._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**VII. Favourite Outfit  
**_498 / 500_**  
**

"Sora! Put these clothes on this instant!" a woman's irritated voice could be heard. "You're not wearing that to the party."

"But mom—"

"No buts! And Roxas, wear this coat."

"Okay…"

"Good. Oh my gosh, you're still looking terrible and we're running late! Your father is already there! Ventus!"

Said boy strolled into the room and acknowledged her. "You can go ahead. I'll take care of the kids."

The mother murmured a word of gratitude. Since she and her husband had been asked to do the opening speech for this particular gathering, she couldn't afford to be late; not wasting any second, she darted toward the garage, started the car, and drove off.

Now that his mother had gone, Sora was free to pout. "Why do we have to wear these?"

Ven shrugged. "Because there will be lots of people, so you've gotta look nice? Now c'mon…"

"But you didn't dress up," Roxas remarked.

True. Instead of coat and trousers, Ven was wearing a relaxed outfit: a black-and-white shirt over a black vest and beige jeans, complete with a heart-shaped pin fixed onto his collar.

"The card says we can wear our favourite outfit!" said Sora. He showed the invitation card to Ven, and the words 'Wear your favourite outfit!' were clearly written. "This isn't my favourite outfit. It's mom's!"

Roxas rolled his eyes. "Sora, how can that be mom's favourite? That's not. Mom wants you to wear it, that's what," he corrected, then turned to Ven. "But I agree with Sora. Why can't we choose ourselves?"

What they said was true. Parties should be a fun occasion for the participants. What a shame it would be if Roxas and Sora couldn't enjoy the party merely because of their outfits.

After thinking for a while, Ven smiled. "Just believe me and do as I say."

* * *

Mrs. Skylers had expected everyone to be dressed formally, but nothing could be further than the truth.

People were dressed casually. She and her husband were the only ones clothed like royals, sticking up like a sore thumb now that they were speaking in front of everyone. She couldn't concentrate since she felt bad for having forced the boys to dress up.

"Sorry we're late!"

Her speech was broken by a familiar voice. Everybody turned their attention to the doorway and saw Ven with the twins at his side, smiling, donning sporty, attractively stylish clothes: Roxas with his checkered jacket with an X-shaped zipper pull and slack jeans, and Sora with his black hoodie over red shirt, black three-quarter pants, and a crown pendant attached to a chain around his neck. They blended well with the crowd.

Ven apologised for the interruption before finding a vacant table to sit at with his brothers. When meeting gazes with his parents, his mother breathed a sigh of relief; he didn't have to ask why she did that.

With a wink, he smiled at his mother to greet her. "Ventus to the rescue," he whispered.


	8. Sing

_Thank-yous: to Sorasonic for following._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise, nor do I own the song Somewhere Out There._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**VIII. Sing****  
**_483 / 500_

Although it was Saturday, Roxas had woken up earlier than usual since he had to relieve himself. Because it was already half past six, he might as well start his day afterward.

When he tried to open the door to the bathroom, it took him several tries before finally registering that it was locked. He was about to knock and tell the occupant to be quick, but a melodious voice coming from inside stopped him from doing so and brought full awareness to him.

_… that we'll find one another  
in that big somewhere out there.  
And even though I know how very far apart we are,  
it helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star…_

Roxas couldn't help giggling. He couldn't understand why Ven had always been shy when asked to sing while in fact he had such a great voice! Unfortunately he couldn't stay to listen to the whole song for he really needed to pass water right now. Otherwise, it would leak out.

After doing what he had to do in the other bathroom downstairs, Roxas made his way to the kitchen, took a plastic bowl with his name, and mixed some cereal with milk in it. He would rather have mac and cheese, but nobody was there to cook for him.

But perhaps he should have waited. Not long after, his mother came into the kitchen. After praising him for having woken up early, she proceeded to cook breakfast for others. Roxas couldn't ask for more since he had had his share; he had been taught not to waste food or be greedy.

When Roxas was done with his cereal, Ven showed up, although his state was barely appropriate. With only his shorts on, he stepped into the kitchen while drying his hair with a towel as though nobody had been there.

This was, of course, to his mother's chagrin. "Ventus, manners…" she warned.

"Morning too, mom," he replied nonchalantly as he kissed her on the cheek, "What's cook—hey, Rox! You're up early."

The kid didn't reply, although he suddenly giggled. He was reminded of the bathroom concert he had heard earlier on. Unsuspecting, Ven smiled and asked why he was laughing.

In response, Roxas started singing.

_Somewhere out there, if love can see us through,  
then we'll be together  
somewhere out there, out where dreams…_

"… come true…" his mother joined him in the last line, then applauded. "Roxas, that's some beautiful voice!"

On the other hand, Ven froze on the spot. His face had turned red; he had no idea Roxas had heard him singing loudly in the bathroom. Getting caught doing that was the last entry in his list of things to do, but apparently, the list had rearranged itself.

He was very, very embarrassed.

"Ven's voice is better," Roxas remarked as he walked out, a knowing grin pasted on his face.


	9. Sleep

_Thank-yous: to X-blade025 and Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN for reviewing, favouriting, and/or following. To answer X-blade025's question, I can't say for sure, but there sure will be chapters at least in tangent with that matter._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**IX. Sleep**  
_496 / 500_

The temperature had soared to abnormally high levels, and Sora found it truly hard to bring himself to sleep.

Frustrated, he took a handheld game console from the drawer and started playing on the bed to divert his attention from the heat. He wasn't supposed to do that since weekend hadn't come yet. More importantly, the console wasn't his to begin with; he had taken it from Ven's room without him knowing.

Sora's excited squeals escaped the room and were heard by Ven who happened to be around. Since he too had been afflicted by the heat, he immediately assumed that his brother was having difficulties sleeping.

Intent on easing Sora's struggle, Ven went to the kitchen, heated some milk, and poured it into a mug. It was said that hot milk could help in fending off insomnia; it hadn't been scientifically proven, but hey, no harm in trying.

Bringing the milk, Ven opened Sora's door without knocking. "Hey, Sora, want some milk—"

"Aaahh! Ven!?"

"Whoa! What's wrong—hey, isn't that…"

Not wanting to get caught red-handed, Sora hid the console under the blanket, but it seemed he wasn't quick enough. Ven's expression indicated that he had seen the console. He was afraid that his big brother would tell his parents about it.

Strangely, Ven's eyes glimmered in excitement. "Isn't that… my 3DS?"

That just confirmed the brunet's fear. There was no denying it; now Ven knew he had had his console stolen. Not only Sora would have to face the consequences of playing during weekdays, but now he had to deal with a lecture about how stealing was bad.

Knowing that there was nowhere else to run, Sora began panicking. "Ven… I'm sorry! I promise, never again! Don't tell mom and dad! Please!"

"Hey, hey, easy," Ven approached Sora and calmed him down. "So you've found it?"

The child became confused. Ven had every right to get mad at him for taking away his console, but he didn't. "W-wait… what do you mean?" he cautiously inquired.

"You don't know? I've misplaced it somewhere and couldn't find it…" replied Ven. "Lucky it's with you! Man, I thought I've lost it for good."

Realisation dawned upon Sora. Ven had misunderstood, and he would use this convenience to his advantage. "So you mean… you thoug—um, you've been looking for it?"

Ven rubbed the back of his head and grinned sheepishly. "Yeah… I was thinking of buying another one, but that'd cost me lots of munny…" he said. "But since you've found it, how 'bout we make an arrangement?"

"What arrangement?"

"I'll buy you waffles tomorrow, after school. It's a date."

Sora grinned and agreed to the deal. He was also assured by Ven that the parents would stay unaware of this little escapade as long as he drank his milk, ceased playing, and went to sleep soon. Needless to say, Sora complied, his feelings now light.

That night, he dreamed about him and Ven downing a mountain of waffles.

* * *

_Post-note: Some of you may find this chapter familiar. That's because I did recycle some old stuff. I was kind of stuck in writing this chapter, see… so I decided to read my other works for inspiration._

_One thing that I kept forgetting to mention is that I've published a follow-up of some sort to this story's chapter 1 as a separate story. You can find it under the title of Why We Love Our Family. I would like to thank Natalis Orbis for giving me the idea to write it; that one's for you!_


	10. Dream

_Thank-yous: to Sweet Cynthia and Inmate XIV (owner of the challenge) for reviewing and following._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**X. Dream**  
_498 / 500_

The air was cold, but the overall weather was lovely and the landscape looked gorgeous. That was what Ven loved from autumns.

He was watching over Roxas and Sora, who were playing together on the field of gold. They rolled about, sometimes sending dead leaves into the air, their dulcet laughter filling the air. It looked like they were having tons of fun.

When he checked his watch, it was already ten to six. Their mother wanted them back by six, so they really had to go. "Rox! Sora! Let's go home," Ven called out.

However, they didn't answer. He made two other attempts, but they kept ignoring them. Sighing, Ven stood up and walked over toward them, but suddenly it occurred to him that something was off: he couldn't cover any distance between himself and his brothers.

Suddenly and abruptly, the view underwent a major change. Trees and buildings mysteriously disappeared, the skyline was replaced with the vast expanse of the sea, and Ven found himself standing in the middle of a paved walkway cutting through a field of flowers.

At the end of the walkway stood two stone sculptures. One of them was shaped like a heart sitting on top of T-shaped rhomboid spikes, while the other, a crown with circular notches. When Ven recognised them as his and Sora's symbols designed by their father, something inside him stirred uncomfortably.

He could see Sora playing by himself by the crown sculpture. Roxas was no longer there; he had no idea where he had gone to. Once again, he tried his luck and called out to Sora.

Finally noticing Ven, Sora stood up and turned to face him. His expression was unreadable, but there certainly was sadness behind his smile. "Ven, we can't go together," he said.

"Wait, Sora! Where are you going?" Ven demanded, but he got no answer. To his horror, gentle light started to envelop his body, causing him to fade away from existence. "What's… going on?"

"You have to go ahead."

As he said those words, the light grew intense and engulfed him… and the next second, he could only see white.

* * *

"SORA!"

Ven woke up with a start. Panting, he sat up and tried hard to calm himself down, although his heart was still pounding heavily. He observed the room; it was still dark, and the clock face read three.

"It's just a dream…" he said to himself. "Yeah… no big deal."

Just to make sure, he checked Roxas and Sora in their rooms, and was relieved to see they were sound asleep. After pouring himself a glass of water in the kitchen, he went back to his room and entertained his curiosity.

Some people said dreams were reflective of what one had been keeping in mind, his innermost desires, or what would—or rather, could—happen in the future. The problem was that most dreams made no sense for interpretation, and Ven's had been no different.

So what, then, could this dream mean?


	11. Hurt

_Thank-yous: to SorenDevin for reviewing and following._

_Pre-note: I decided to update half an hour earlier to celebrate. Smile to all! Kingdom Hearts III has been confirmed to be in development during the E3! Go to YouTube and check it yourself; I watched the trailer and had shivers down my spine._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XI. Hurt**  
_478 / 500_

The clinic's waiting lounge would have been totally empty if not thanks to Ven and Sora. They were currently waiting for Roxas to get done with his appointment with the dentist, which could be any second now.

Every time he heard sounds from inside, Sora cringed; he couldn't imagine what those tools would do to his teeth. It was beyond him how Roxas was able to keep himself from screaming, or why his pain tolerance had always been higher than his to begin with.

"Ven, let's go home," he said, squeezing Ven's wrist tight.

"But Roxas is still in there," replied Ven. "We're not leaving him alone here, are we?"

"No… but didn't you hear that? They'll drill holes on my teeth!"

"They won't. They're just gonna pluck out the bad tooth, that's all."

"They WHAT!?"

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of opening door. From the room Roxas walked out, his palm pressed against his right cheek which was sure to swell soon. Tears had escaped his eyes, but he was otherwise alright.

"Rox! What did they do to you?" Sora demanded. However, grunts that he didn't understand were all he got as the reply. "C'mon, say something!"

Roxas opened his mouth and pointed at his lower row of teeth. One of his molars were no longer there; it had been replaced with a piece of painkiller-coated cotton that was slowly becoming red due to blood seeping into it.

"Ah cahnt speahk," said Roxas, emphasising his point as he seated himself beside Ven.

Having seen the wound, Sora's face became drained of colours. He was terrified now. It looked like he wouldn't be able to see this day through without undergoing the painful process of having his molar extracted.

Again, the door opened, and this time the nurse came out. "Sora Skylers? Come on in, dear."

There was no running away. Sora had no other options than to go with the flow. When he stole a glance at his brothers for reassurance, he saw Roxas resting his head on Ven's lap, almost sleeping.

What Sora heard from Ven before the door shut behind him was, "Good luck."

* * *

"Does it still hurt?" asked Ven.

Roxas nodded weakly. It didn't look like the pain would go away soon despite the painkiller.

"No ice cream for a month, okay?"

Again, Roxas could only nod. He regretted not heeding his mother's advice about sweets. From now on he would regulate his consumption of candies and ice cream and brush his teeth afterward whenever possible.

Suddenly, a scream could be heard from inside. Roxas shuddered and Ven cringed at the sound. It soon intensified into cries for help, desperately pleading for the dentist to stop the extraction procedure.

"Sora…" Roxas whimpered.

"He's gonna be okay, Rox," Ven assured as he continued ruffling Roxas' hair. "Getting heartbroken is much worse than this…"


	12. Love

_Thank-yous: to Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN, StrawberryMatt, SorenDevin, Kurai Gekkou, and aloof-kokiri for reviewing, favouriting, and/or following._

_Pre-note: Taking up aloof-kokiri's suggestion, I'd like to inform you guys that all the chapters in this story, unless specified otherwise, take place when Ven was 18 to 19 and Roxas and Sora were 7 to 8._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XII. Love**  
_496 / 500_

The weather was too good to pass up, so Ven had taken Roxas and Sora to the local park to play. Other children had similar thoughts, for the playground was slightly more crowded than usual.

Ven then went to meet his female friend with whom he had made an appointment to catch up. They talked, and when they were done, it was almost sunset. Probably, if it weren't because of Roxas and Sora interrupting them, they could have gone on.

Upon seeing the children, Ven's friend practically squealed in delight. "Your brothers are so cute!"

"They are?" Ven grinned rather proudly. "But be careful, Roxas bites."

Ven's friend found Roxas' reaction—frowning—amusing. "I used to want twin siblings, you know," she said.

"Careful what you wish for. These two over here? They're a handful," said Ven while ruffling the children's hair. "Anyway, let's head back. It's almost six-thirty, and—"

"But Veeen, you haven't bought us ice cream," Sora interjected.

At the mention of ice cream, Roxas chirped in. "Yeah. It's Thursday, which means it's ice-cream day."

"Let's just share a stick, all three of us," said Sora again. "That way, we can still eat dinner and mom won't get mad at us."

Knowing there was no escaping them, Ven complied. After telling them to stay with his friend, he went to buy a stick of ice cream. He himself could use some bites since he indeed was fairly thirsty.

When alone with the kids, Ven's friend asked them. "Is Ven a good big brother to you two?"

"He is," answered Sora enthusiastically. "He's the coolest brother ever."

"Ven can be dumb sometimes, but he's very kind. He promised to put us above anything else… whatever it means. But I know it's a good thing," Roxas added.

"So do you love him?"

The children gave a questioning look. What kind of question was that? Of course they did; did anyone even have to ask? That said, they nodded resolutely and chirped in unison in reply. "More than anything!"

Ven's friend smiled at those words, but there was this strange glisten in her eyes. It was as though she wanted to partake in their faith in Ven, but couldn't because of the presence of a certain memory. Bittersweetness—that was what she was currently feeling.

Moments later, Ven returned with a stick of sea-salt ice cream and shared it. He then thanked his friend and said his goodbye, but not before agreeing on a time for their next catch-up session which she agreed to.

"Your brothers love you so much, Ven," she said before leaving to get her sister. "Don't let them down, okay?"

Ven wondered at the apparent depth of his friend's words, but nodded and smiled anyway. Of course he wouldn't let them down; Roxas and Sora meant more than the world did to him. He would never forgive himself should anything bad happen to them.

"I promised, right? Because I love you both, and I always will."


	13. Hate

_Thank-yous: to kagome1237, LunarLionHeart, and SorenDevin for reviewing, favouriting and/or following._

_Pre-note: I'm changing my update schedule a bit. Usually I update every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, but from now on I will update on Tuesday, Thursday, and either Saturday or Sunday._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XIII. Hate**  
_479 / 500_

Brilliant blue eyes blinked from under blond bangs. Holding a fork, his wrist danced, poking at the food before him. Onto the plate his attention was fixed, slices of a certain vegetable type skidding around as the result of his action.

Bell peppers came in different candy-like colours—red, yellow, green, and orange—that were sure to tempt first-timers, usually children, to eat them. Once they did, however, they would find out that the captivating colours actually belied an egregious taste that defied explanation.

A few years back, Ven had tricked Roxas into eating a red slice by saying that it was some candy. Since the child had a sweet tooth, he ate it without hesitation; there was no need to explain how everything had ended up. That was why Roxas hated peppers with flaming passion.

Roxas really didn't know what to do with these things. He thought of transferring them to Sora's plates while no one was looking, but Sora wasn't that dense; he would notice the peppers that never had been there.

When Roxas observed his soda drink, he suddenly got an idea. The soda was black in colour, so the pieces would be invisible in it. He smiled inwardly, believing this was a brilliant idea.

Roxas put the peppers into his mouth—flinching in the process, but it had to be done—and transferred them into the tall glassware under the guise of chugging the soda. To make it more convincing, he expulsed some gas from his stomach with a burp.

The mother glared at him at the sound. "Manners, please."

"Sorry, mom. It won't happen again," he replied regretfully.

The rest of the dinner was relatively uneventful. The peppers still went undetected, and Roxas was really happy everything was well. He would walk out of it unscathed and alive, he knew it.

The parents then settled the bill and thanked their sons for joining the dinner. But of course Ven thanked them back on behalf of his brothers; they were all able to enjoy a very good dinner and company because of them.

Just as they stood up, Sora took Roxas' half-full glass of soda. "If you're not finishing it, then I will," he said as he began sucking through the straw.

"Huh—no! Sora, don't!"

But Roxas was too late.

Since the peppers had been submerged for so long, their flavour had infused into the soda. When the bizarre-tasting liquid touched his tongue, Sora immediately spat it out; he stirred the soda and, to his horror, saw puckered slices of pepper happily swimming about.

"Eww! Rox, what's this?" Sora cringed in disgust and showed his discovery to others.

Seeing this, the mother's eyes widened in disbelief. "Roxas… those are…"

"Uh-oh…" Roxas gulped nervously.

As his punishment, every single one of Roxas' dinner for the next several days would consist of peppers that he had to finish come what may.


	14. Nightmare

_Thank-yous: to The Trio Of Twilight, thamanbomb123, and SorenDevin for reviewing, favouriting, and/or following._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XIV. Nightmare**  
_496 / 500_

Sora ran, ran, and ran, letting his feet take him to destinations unknown. He didn't stop, he didn't look back, he just wanted to get away from the mysterious entity that had been chasing him.

He made his way through the labyrinthine woods just fine. He didn't know how, he just did. Somehow, he felt familiar with the place even though he had never been there before.

After running for quite some time and distance, he arrived at a forest clearing, in the middle of which stood an old, decrepit house. Without thinking, he barged into the house, slammed the door shut, and locked it, afraid that the entity would catch up with him should he be indecisive.

Upon seeing the familiar layout of the house, Sora's eyes widened. "Is this… my house?" he asked himself in confusion.

When he was about to venture deeper into the house, a loud bang could be heard from outside. The mysterious entity had caught up with him. He was bewildered; how could it cover so much distance in such a short amount of time?

He darted upstairs, passing through Ven's and Roxas' rooms as he made his way to his own. Just as he entered, he heard the sound of the front door being busted through; horrified, he hopped onto the bed and cowered under the blanket.

Sora maintained his silence to stay undetected. He listened; outside, there certainly was something closing in, making dragging sounds. It was as though Sora had become a bait.

The sounds only grew louder as the entity moved closer. When they stopped, Sora knew that right now, the only thing separating it and him was the wooden door leading to his room, which was now opening with a creak.

* * *

With a blink, Sora found out that the door was still closed. Knowing everything had just been a dream, he heaved a sigh of relief although he was still perspiring profusely.

However, he couldn't move. It was as though something had pinned him against the bed, which was a dreadful experience. Since his eyes were the only body part he had control of, there was nothing he could do except look around.

To his horror, when he looked at the window, Sora saw a white silhouette behind it. Its shape was humanoid, but instead of having clearly defined outline, its profile flickered like smoke.

That his room was on the second floor only made him even more terrified.

However, he couldn't divert his gaze away. Even after the wind blew the silhouette away, his attention was still glued onto the window.

"Mom, dad, I'm scared…" he whimpered. "Ven, Rox… help me…"

Sora was so afraid he cried himself to sleep. It was only when he woke up the next morning and told his parents about his experience that he learned about a potentially frightening experience called sleep paralysis.

That was Sora's first exposure, and he sure hoped it wouldn't have to happen again. Ever.

* * *

_Post-note: For those unaware of it, sleep paralysis is a condition upon awakening in which one finds it hard or impossible to move about. This phenomenon is usually accompanied with terror, and hallucinations may even take place._


	15. Scary Movie

_Thank-yous: to GlimmerCreator, mOOnlite-duskk, Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN for reviewing, favouriting, and/or following._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XV. Scary Movie**  
_477 / 500_

There was nothing else in Ven's mind other than getting to his destination quickly.

Riding his motorcycle at high speed, he skilfully swerved left and right, overtaking fellow motorists. Although they honked at him afterward, he didn't care; his girlfriend's—Fuu's—wrath was scarier than theirs combined.

Upon reaching downtown, he zipped through the streets and made his way to the theatre, then parked his motorcycle on the designated space. Sure enough, when he walked over to the entrance, the girl was there waiting.

Ven greeted her sheepishly. "Sorry I'm late… my mom needed me to do something…"

Fuu eyed him with the sharp gaze of her ruby eyes. Her expression was stoic as ever it was hard to tell whether she was or wasn't irritated. "Excuses," she said sternly.

"No, really!" Ven defended himself. "You see, my brothers were messing around as usual, and they knocked over a vase. It broke, so I had—"

Ven was silenced by Fuu who put her index finger to her lips. He rubbed the back of his head, slightly bowed his head, and, with that goofy grin of his, apologised again.

Surprisingly, Fuu dropped her cold demeanour and her expression relaxed, albeit only a little. She knew Ven could be such a clueless dummy sometimes and that there was no helping it, but that was where his charm was—at least according to her.

"Purchase," said Fuu as she turned around and gestured at the ticket booth.

Seeing that he was no longer in the red, Ven beamed again. This time, he made a proper greeting; he kissed Fuu's forehead, wrapped his arm around her waist, and walked together. "C'mon, let's get ourselves two tickets."

* * *

He didn't know what he had been thinking when deciding on the show. Why, of all alternatives, had he decided on a horror movie? Everybody knew Ven was a faint-hearted person who would jump out of his skin at the slightest surprise, so it was like suicide.

He was the first person to scream, and was the loudest among those who did so. He also had been hiding behind his jacket ever since the demon first appeared, causing him to miss more than half the show. Even then, he kept letting out whimpers and yelps that might have distracted the audience.

When the show ended, Ven felt as though he had no strength to stand up. He slumped on his chair, his knees seemingly had been turned into jelly. Since he sat by the aisle, he could see other people's reactions at him as they walked past: chuckling, mocking him, or glaring daggers.

Fuu shook her head at Ven's cowardice. "Weakling," she jeered at him.

"… I don't care," he responded. "No more scary movies… ever!"

And so, that movie became the last horror movie Ven watched in his lifetime. Even a million munny wouldn't change his mind.


	16. Blood

_Thank-yous: to PrincessWarrior3 and SorenDevin for reviewing, favouriting, and/or following._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XVI. Blood**  
_469 / 500_

That sharp stinging sensation of the needle still lingered. Sometimes the puncture wound throbbed, and whenever it did so, Ven felt a sore sensation that just couldn't be described with words.

Despite feeling lightheaded, he managed to exercise extra caution when riding his motorcycle and reach home safely. He stood up very slowly, making sure that he didn't faint from sudden and foolish motions. After parking the bike in the garage, he made his entry into the house.

Around this time of the day, Roxas would be studying in his room, and Sora doing something else somewhere in the house. And true enough, Ven saw the seven-year-old in the living room, happily building a colourful house with Lego blocks.

Upon hearing the sound, Sora turned to face the door to greet his brother. Seeing that Ven's elbow was wrapped in bandages, he became even more excited; on the television, he had seen cool anime protagonists donning similar bandages to cover their arms.

"Ven, I want bandages too! Where'd you get that?" Sora chirped.

The blonde plopped himself on the sofa. He had almost lost all his energy, but managed to muster enough strength to entertain Sora. "I don't think you'd want this, Sora."

Sora tilted his head in confusion. "Why not? That's cool."

"Because… I got this from blood donation," came the reply.

"What's blood donation?"

Ven then explained everything he knew about the charitable act. He elaborated on how donors had to fill forms and undergo medical screening beforehand. After that, they had to have their fingertip punctured with a lancet; this was done to obtain a sample to determine if their blood was feasible for donation.

At this point, vigour had escaped Sora. He never was fond of pain. His face became even paler when Ven got into the details about how a huge needle would then be inserted into the vein on the donors' forearm, extracting their blood like a vampire in thirst.

"Why would you wanna do that, Ven?" asked Sora again. He still couldn't believe how one would willingly subject himself to such an agonising procedure.

"Because it may save someone who's lost too much blood… for example, from an accident."

"But that's gotta hurt…"

"Well, at least the nurse gave me a painkiller shot."

"WHAT!?" Sora's eyes widened. "You mean… you got stabbed twice?"

Ven nodded in reply, and flashed an impish yet playful grin. "So… you still want bandages, hmm?"

Sora gulped hard. Suddenly, the anime heroes didn't seem cool anymore; there was no way he would have himself stabbed and drained of blood only to get bandages wrapped around his elbow. It wasn't worth the trouble and, of course, pain.

"Uh, I think not…" he said with a sheepish smile before going to the kitchen to get some water for Ven.


	17. School

_Thank-yous: to PrincessWarrior3 and Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN for reviewing._

_Pre-note: I won't be able to update at the usual time because I'll be having a meeting. Enjoy this early release!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XVII. School**  
_487 / 500_

"Sora, where's Roxas?"

That was Kairi, one of those Sora and Roxas always had lunch together with at school. She had noticed Roxas' absence well before Riku did, so she wasted no time in attempting to find out what might have happened to him.

"He's resting at home," replied Sora, his voice bearing no spirit at all. "He caught a fever. Last night he couldn't sleep…"

The redhead gasped in disbelief, but then assumed an expression of regret. "I'm sorry, I didn't know…"

Sora shrugged and told her it was alright. Kairi knew, however, the fact was the other way around. She knew Sora was always concerned about Roxas, especially considering how he looked dejected right now and kept saying that he wanted to go home.

In order to cheer him up, she came up with an idea. "Hey, how about we come over to visit him?"

Riku concurred. "That's a good idea. He doesn't have that many friends, so he'll be glad to see us."

Hearing those words, something inside Sora stirred. "Riku, that's not very nice."

"What, you mean you actually know any other people Roxie hangs around with?" Riku challenged the brunet back.

"Don't call him that!" Sora shouted in indignation. He wasn't about to let anyone talk bad about his twin. "And didn't you know Xion and Lea are his friends, too?"

"Other than them?"

"You don't know anything about him!"

"Guys, stop! Don't fight!" Kairi intervened before the argument escalated into a full-blown fight. This had happened before, and it wasn't a pleasant experience. After they had quietened down, she continued. "Alright, it's decided. We're visiting Roxas, so let's meet up at the gate after school."

"Yeah, yeah. Sora, you go and tell Roxie's friends. Otherwise he won't be too happy," said Riku nonchalantly. Before Sora could retort, the boy had left, returning to the classroom from which he had come.

Sora got worked up, but thanks to Kairi, he managed to calm himself down. She wanted to tell Sora that Riku hadn't meant it with his words, but he wasn't taking any of it.

"I think I know why Roxas doesn't like Riku so much…" he sighed.

* * *

Sora bit his lips, not believing the things he had heard today. Roxas' absence had caused not only Riku, but also other people, to start saying things about him, and Sora happened to have overheard some not-so-good instances.

Riku wasn't totally wrong about Roxas not having that many friends. He had indeed always been somewhat of a loner, but that didn't mean he deserved the treatment! Roxas rarely minded, but Sora couldn't be fooled; he always felt his brother's pain and sadness of being made fun of.

Truly, he wanted so bad to go home. He would rather skip school rather than be there only to hear others talking behind Roxas' back.

Suddenly, school didn't seem to be a very fun place to be…


	18. Scream

_Thank-yous: to ZealousZexionZealot and SorenDevin for reviewing and/or following._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XVIII. Scream**  
_497 / 500_

"Hey, you guys," Ven called out to his brothers, who were currently watching a movie on the television in his room. "I've got a new game. Wanna play?"

At the word "game", Sora sprang up and darted toward Ven. Roxas followed suit calmly. They stood by the computer and stared right into the screen, eager to see what exciting entertainment Ven had in store.

"What game, Ven?" asked Roxas.

Ven then launched an application. It was a maze game in which players advanced to the next level by guiding a blue-coloured box to the goal with the cursor; should the box touch the walls, the entire level had to be redone.

Sora pumped his fist in excitement. "Looks easy enough! Rox, do you mind if I do the first level?" he asked. "We can take turns, so you do the even-numbered levels."

"Sure, go ahead," replied Roxas. It would make no difference whatsoever to him.

And so they began. Sora passed the first level no problem, and Roxas, too, found the second easy. However, the third was notably more difficult than the previous ones; the path started off wide, but nearing the end, it began to wind and shrink to a width that just matched the size of the blue box.

Sora couldn't finish the level no matter how hard he tried. Finally giving up, he passed the mouse over to Roxas, who managed to get past Sora's stalling point.

"Way to go, Rox!" Sora cheered. "Just a little bit more. C'mon, you can do it!"

Roxas sharply hushed his brother. "Sora, I'm trying to concentrate."

Sora stilled, but maintained his excitement. Imitating Roxas, he brought his face closer to the monitor to keep a close eye on the box which was just pixels away from the goal.

With delicate manoeuvres, Roxas guided the box closer and closer to the goal, but…

"AAAAHH!"

"WAAAAAAHHH!"

Suddenly, a picture of a demon appeared on-screen, accompanied with a really loud scream. It surprised the children so bad; they fell off the chair and cowered on the floor as the screaming continued. Sora even flailed his arms around, thinking it would fend off the demon should it emerge from the monitor.

When the screaming stopped, they heard laughter. Yes, laughter, and a very familiar one: Ven's laughter.

Roxas lifted his head and was incredulous to see Ven laughing so hard he doubled over. Unamused by this, he stood up, and noticing he was still holding the wireless mouse, he angrily threw it across the room before walking out in utter silence.

Sora was as upset. Tears now welling in his eyes, he began to scream hysterically as he followed Roxas out of the room. "That's not funny! That's scary! You're so MEAN!"

Even after being left alone, Ven was still laughing his head off, and it wasn't until the next minute that he finally recovered. "Perhaps I went too far…" he said sheepishly. "But you gotta admit, their reaction was funny…"


	19. Real

_Thank-yous: to CorycianAngel1944, Dario Flaman, kupkake, SorenDevin, oblivionkeeper23, and Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN for reviewing, favouriting, and/or following. Thanks for the overwhelming support and telling me what you think; don't hesitate to post an all-out review, because I appreciate it so much! I'm glad that you've enjoyed the story so far! :)_

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XIX. Real**  
_484 / 500_

Grade-wise, Ven was a slightly above-average student. However, if there was one subject he really hated with a vengeance, it was calculus. And he happened to be in a calculus class right now.

Thanks to boring subject, air-conditioned room, and daydream, Ven's mind drifted away from reality. He began to yield to the charms of sleep, the boundary between what was real and not growing fuzzier by the second.

Then, peace came about.

"Mr. Skylers!"

And went away.

Ven was yanked back to reality by the sound of his name. He looked ahead and was surprised to see his professor standing before him. The grownup looked upset, evidently due to him spacing out in the middle of the lesson.

Professor Even Frost, the students' public enemy, went on a full-blown tirade. "Complex numbers are present in many fields, scientific and engineering alike! I wouldn't be surprised if you encounter difficulties in future modules simply because you refused to pay attention! Now answer, what are real numbers?"

Ven panicked. He had thought he only had to face strings of sentences; as such, he hadn't seen the question coming. "Real numbers… umm, are…"

"Well!?"

"Non-imaginary numbers?" replied Ven. He even produced a very silly-looking smile.

"And what are imaginary numbers?"

"They're… the imaginary friends of real numbers…? You know, like ghosts or something?"

The class broke into laughter. Yes, that was how Ven was; even when facing trouble, somehow he could always manage to momentarily gain control of the situation and make it more entertaining, although usually it led to even bigger trouble.

Professor Frost shouted to silence the class, then spoke to Ven again in an agitated manner. "What kind of answer is that!? And ghosts? Really?"

"Yeah… creepy, huh?"

"You can't just believe what you can't see! They are not real!"

Suddenly, one of Ven's classmates chimed in. "That means your brain isn't real, since we can't see it!"

Again, the students—Ven included—erupted, this time harder than before. Some laughed their heads off in plain sight, some were pounding at their tables, and some even rolled on the floor. The classroom was a total chaos.

"Mr. Fair! You've gone too far!" Professor Frost roared in fury. "I am your teacher and I will—"

Suddenly, the bell rang, signifying the end of the period. Deeply angered, the professor took his stack of paper and left in a hurry, but before exiting, he promised Zack that his parents would hear about his misdemeanour.

"Scary," replied the raven-haired teenager.

Once Professor Frost had left, Ven came over to his friend and gave him a jovial punch on the shoulder. Who would have thought Zack had transformed the most boring class in his opinion into something amusing? He even received a round of applause from the others.

Ven's life—and that of his classmates—would have been more pleasant had Professor Frost's classes been as wonderful as it was today.


	20. Father

_Thank-yous: to animaonline and SorenDevin for reviewing and/or following._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XX. Father**  
_496 / 500_

After that fight with Fuu, Ven just wanted to have something to quench his thirst—both physical and emotional—and sleep until noon. He had to thank his lucky stars it was Friday.

He mindlessly shuffled to the kitchen, his thoughts vacant. He took an unopened can of coffee, shuffled to the living room, and plopped himself on the sofa. However…

Ven glanced at the drink. He rarely drank coffee. Just what had driven him to choose this one while there had been other options? Nevertheless, Ven opened it and took a sip.

Cold, bitter. Just like what he thought of Fuu right now. Although he knew he would be insomniac, he emptied the can in a chug out of dejection.

Ven was still dazed from the rush of caffeine when he heard his father. "Ventus? I didn't hear you return."

Hearing no reply, Mr. Skylers joined Ven on the sofa. To his surprise, Ven had his body bent down and his head resting on the palms. He was depressed.

Knowing it was unusual for his son to be sullen, he made the first move. "Is there something wrong?" he asked.

Silence was all Ven gave as the answer. It lingered long enough, but thankfully he spoke up before awkwardness set in. "We fought."

"What's that?"

Ven sighed and looked ahead, although his gaze was empty. "Fuu and I. I've screwed up."

Before he knew it, Ven had divulged everything for his father to hear. It was amazing even to him that the words flowed like water. Despite being silent, that his father was listening provided Ven some comfort.

"What to do, dad? I know I should talk to her about it, but… argh, I dunno what to do…"

Mr. Skylers just nodded, his expression unreadable. "You just fought with her due to differing opinion," he reiterated, which Ven acknowledged with a nod. "And you're acting like it's the end of the world. You still have much to learn, Ventus."

The father then shared his experiences when dating his wife-to-be. He talked about differences, that one thing because of which they had fought several times. However, they had agreed to appreciate them and cherish what they had in common instead, which was why they managed to take their relationship to the next level.

"You're on the right path, Ventus. Talk to her and try to sort things out," he advised.

"Not sure if I can, but… we'll see."

"I have faith that you'll make things right again, so you should as well, son."

At those words, a small smile graced Ven's lips. "Well, that's… reassuring. Thanks, dad."

Mr. Skylers returned the smile and patted his son's shoulder before entering his room. Thanks to him, Ven's confidence was boosted; he was happy he could talk about things like this with his father. At least he didn't have to deal with his problems all by himself.

Sometimes, a father could be a boy's best friend. Ven could vouch for that.


	21. Mother

_Thank-yous: to FlyingKey123 and Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN for reviewing, favouriting, and/or following._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XXI. Mother**  
_490 / 500_

"Seriously, what's with the kids?" Mrs. Skylers ranted on. "I've been calling them many times but they always keep it short! What attitude is that?"

"Perhaps they just don't have anything to say, that's all," replied her husband with a matter-of-fact tone.

"Really? Even when I asked how they're doing?" the mother blurted out again. "And here I thought inviting them to eat out was a good idea. We might as well cancel our reservation!"

"Brisa, relax, please. Today's not the day for you to think too much."

"You want to know what I think? They're hiding something. That's what."

Mr. Skylers was taken aback. Never had he expected that his wife would suspect—let alone accuse—their children of doing something behind their backs. "That… might be a little too far. Let's not—"

"Give me a sound explanation why they couldn't wait to hang up every time I called, then."

The ferocity with which the upset mother delivered her words really took the cake. Mr. Skylers could answer with nothing but wordlessness. In fact, the rest of their ride home was filled with silence, which was quite unnerving an experience.

After so long, they were finally back home. Once the car had come to a complete stop, the mother used the first chance she got to spring out and make her way toward the front door.

"I still think jumping at them throwing accusations isn't really a good idea," said the father, hoping that his wife would reconsider what she was about to do.

"And let them keep secrets?" his wife asked back while opening the door. "For your information, I don't appreciate—"

"Happy birthday, mom!"

As soon as she stepped in, the mother was greeted by popping sounds and a shower of confetti. The lights came to life, causing her to cringe at the sudden brightness. She was about to shove away her three children who had crowded around her, but then she opened her eyes…

… and was instantly touched by the sight.

The living room had been decorated. Balloons were everywhere, and there was a banner with congratulatory words extending across the room. What caught her attention, though, was what was on the table: a cake.

Everyone could tell that it was hastily, almost carelessly made. The surface was uneven, there was too much chocolate coating, and even the cake itself slanted toward one side. However, those signs meant it had been specially made by the boys themselves, for her and her alone.

"Sorry the cake's a mess… we can't bake," Ven grinned sheepishly. "But at least we tried, and—oof."

Before Ven could finish his sentence, his mother had hugged him, Roxas, and Sora. The father, who had been watching with a smile, joined, and they were all soon sharing one big, tender group embrace.

"My dear family…" she said, a drop of tear rolling down her face. "Thank you. I love you…"

"We love you too, mom…"

* * *

_Post-note: Happy 4th of July for readers living in the US!_


	22. Jewel

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XXII. Jewel**  
_500 / 500_

Kids love sweets, and the Skylers twins were no exception.

When Roxas went to the kitchen in hopes of stealing some candies, he was disappointed to see that the jar was missing. His mind immediately locked onto Sora, because only the two of them knew about the secret location where the jar was placed.

En route upstairs, Roxas saw a green multifaceted candy lying about at the bottom of the staircase. He rolled his eyes at Sora's sloppiness; what if their parents saw it? So, he took the runaway candy outside and threw it on the green carpet of grass, blending nicely with it.

After that, he went into Sora's room to enjoy their loot together. Sugar rush soon set in, causing them to be hyper for the next two hours. Thanks to it, they had a good, refreshing afternoon nap.

* * *

"Just where is it? I'm getting late and that thing has to hide somewhere!" Mrs. Skylers grumbled as she frantically made her way from one room to the other.

From the living room, Ven asked. "What are you looking for, mom?"

Hearing him, the mother stopped in her track, approached him, and spoke up with a tone that Ven feared: deceivingly sweet. "I see that you're free, Ventus. This brooch here," she pointed at a gemless brooch fixed onto her dress. "It's supposed to hold an emerald jewel. Help me look for it."

Ven stood up and then saluted her. "At once, ma'am! Paging privates Roxas and Sora!"

Said children could then be heard rushing down the staircase. They knew every time Ven spoke like that, he had something fun for them to do, hence their excitement. "Captain Ventus, sir!" they said in unison.

"Alright, privates. The general needs us to help her to find a gemstone," Ven reiterated. "How does it look like, ma'am?"

"It's clear green, about the size of candies," replied the mother.

Roxas suddenly paled. Clear green, like candies? Immediately he thought of that piece he had thrown out earlier this afternoon. It was no candy! It was a freaking gemstone!

"You heard her, boys. Now move it!"

Before Sora could go anywhere, Roxas quickly took him outside where he filled him in about what he had done with the gemstone. Sora practically jaw-dropped; how were they supposed to find it? That the lamppost was their only source of light didn't help at all, it was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

"If we can't find it, I'm dead. Please, Sora, you've gotta help me," Roxas pled, which was quite an uncommon sight.

Not wanting to see Roxas run into trouble, Sora had no choice but help out. However, in the midst of their search, Mrs. Skylers gave up and decided to leave the brooch behind. When she drove past the lawn and saw the twins, Roxas could have sworn he saw her glaring daggers at them.

"That's not good…" he gulped nervously.

Who knew what punishment they would receive later that night…


	23. Heart

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XXIII. Heart**  
_494 / 500_

The clock had struck eleven, yet Roxas was still waiting for his parents to come home. He knew they must have been caught up with overtime work, yet he still couldn't bring himself to sleep since it was unusual for him to do so without seeing them. He wanted to make sure that they would reach home safely.

When Ven went downstairs to get some water, he saw Roxas in the living room. He thought of taking him to his room since it was more comfortable there, but the offer was refused. However, when Roxas reiterated his resolve, his body betrayed him; before he could finish his sentence, he let out a huge yawn.

"See, you're already tired," Ven smiled and ruffled the kid's hair. "You've got school tomorrow, too, so let's get you to your room."

Defeated, Roxas lazily climbed onto Ven's back and let him take him to the room. Still, though, he found it hard to relax, because he kept worrying about his parents. To counter this, Ven did what he used to do to lull him to sleep when he was just a toddler: telling a story.

It had been ages since Roxas last heard Ven's story, so he listened intently. It was one about entities Ven dubbed Nobodies; according to him, they were beings who lacked hearts, and as such could experience no emotions whatsoever.

"Nobodies can't be happy, sad, or get angry… because they don't have hearts," Ven explained. "People pity them, but they won't be able to understand… sad, huh?"

Had Roxas been only a four-year-old, he would have accepted Ven's words as a fact, but he wasn't. He just couldn't help being critical. "But I don't understand. You said they don't have hearts, so why are they still alive?"

"What's that?"

"Isn't the heart…" Roxas gently took Ven's hand and placed it over his chest. "… this one? Feel that? Thump-thump-thump? I read from a book that you'd die if it stops. So how can the Nobodies be alive if they don't have hearts?"

Although not exactly correct, Roxas had demonstrated his intelligence with that critical thinking. Ven was amazed; it always made him wonder how he was always intrigued by things kids his age normally didn't care about.

Ven then explained about the differences in an impassioned manner. He went on about how there were two concepts of heart: the physical heart—this was what Roxas had mentioned earlier—which functions to pump blood through the body, and the idiomatic heart, with which people experience emotions.

Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, Roxas could take no more of the explanations and fell asleep. Ven only noticed this when he heard his soft snores. With that, he tucked him in so he would have a good-night sleep.

"You're a smart guy, you know that, Rox?" he said, smiling, and kissed Roxas on the forehead. "Someday, you're gonna be a great person… and we'll all be very happy for you."


	24. Flowers

_Thank-yous: to anarichter6, SorenDevin, Peppapig11, and Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN for reviewing, favouriting, and/or following._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XXIV. Flowers**  
_497 / 500_

On some afternoons, despite Roxas' advice to stay at school, Sora would follow Kairi to her grandmother's flower shop and wait for Ven there. He had learned a lot of things from the elderly, such as the meaning of each flower as well as the colours.

This afternoon happened to be one of those afternoons. However, what he would learn was totally different.

While browsing around, Kairi's grandmother called him. Holding a stalk of pink flower, she asked if he knew what it symbolised. Because Sora had never seen the flower, he only made a guess that it had to symbolise love or tenderness since it was pink.

Hearing the answer, the grandmother smiled, but there was something else behind that smile—something Sora couldn't exactly pinpoint what. "That's not what it means, dear."

"What does it mean, then?"

"All that begins will someday have to end," she started. Her tone of voice was solemn, yet soothing. "Eventually, so will us. People come and go… they're but a small part in the circle of life."

At this point Kairi was getting intrigued. She sat down right beside Sora in front of the counter, wanting to listen to her grandmother. She always loved her stories.

The grandmother held the flower before the children's eyes. "This flower," she continued. "Is called sakura. It blooms during the spring, and when it does, the whole tree will turn pink, and people from all over would come to sakura parks to relish the sight."

"That's beautiful!" Kairi's eyes glimmered in wonder. "Does it stay that way until winter?"

"Unfortunately, no… the flowers are very short-lived, they fall to the ground before summer even comes round. And because of this, they symbolise the passing of people."

"Oh… that's sad."

"But not every sad thing is a bad thing, dear. You see, even though the flowers only last for a short while, they bring so much happiness. We, too, serve the same purpose in this world with our lives…"

"Our lives?" asked Sora.

"Correct. Even though the flowers symbolise closure, they teach us to fill the world with as many good things as possible during the course of our lives. You and I, your parents, Riku, and Roxas and Ventus… we all share the same cause. That's what we can learn from these flowers.

"As the old will soon fall, the new will rise in its place. The new… they are you," she pointed at Kairi's heart, then Sora's. "So, promise me, dear ones. Promise me that you will continue to spread love and happiness wherever you are, and make the world a better place with the lights of your lives."

Sora's azure eyes met Kairi's. They hadn't thought they would learn about something so deep today, but they were glad. Now that the words of Kairi's grandmother had taken residence in their hearts, they would respect them so as not to disappoint her.

They smiled, and with a resolute nod, they said, "We promise."


	25. Home

_Thank-yous: to Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN and SorenDevin for reviewing._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XXV. Home**  
_481 / 500_

Ven couldn't agree more to the saying "home is where the heart is".

The Skylers household had seen many hilarious and unfortunate occurrences, and the presence of Roxas and Sora only made things wilder. Despite that, Ven had to admit that he felt cosy and comfortable. Never would he trade the feeling with anything else.

In the midst of his reminiscence, his mind homed in on this particular event he was sure he wouldn't forget.

* * *

_"Mom, is breakfast ready?"_

_"I can't find my lunch box…"_

_"Can I have two hundred munny to buy snacks?"_

_"Huh? We have no milk. Mom, can I—"_

_"Roxas! Sora!" Mrs. Skylers finally snapped. The kitchen was spacious enough for five, but with the children running around the effective working space had been quartered from its original size. "Please, just sit down for now, okay? We'll sort things out one by one."_

_Terrified, Roxas and Sora complied and seated themselves at the table. Their silence made Mr. Skylers, who just entered the dining room, wonder. When he asked, Ven explained everything; many of his sentences were punctuated by his mother's grunts of approval._

_"But mom knows everything," Sora pouted. "She knows where things are and can always find them for us."_

_"Son, she's been awake since five o'clock, you see," the father reasoned. "Ventus and I will help you today. Let your mother do housework peacefully."_

_"But we—"_

_"Try to give her a break."_

_Having run out of retort, Sora nodded in defeat. Like it or not, he would have to turn to his father and Ven for matters unrelated to housework the rest of the day so as to ease the mother's mind._

* * *

_That night, just before dinner, Roxas and Sora came strolling down the stairs while calling for their mother, their expressions slightly uneasy. It was evident that they were looking for something whose whereabouts they thought only she knew._

_However, upon seeing Ven and the father in the living room, they stopped. They remembered what they had been told earlier this morning: they were to consult them. "Let your mother do housework peacefully," their father had said._

_Roxas approached Mr. Skylers who smiled because it was the first time in ages the twins asked him for help. However, that smile would soon be wiped off of his face…_

_… for Roxas said, "Dad, where's mom? We need to find something."_

Ven burst into laughter seeing his father's wide-eyed, incredulous expression.

* * *

He could only miss those moments now that everybody else was in the hospital, watching over Roxas who was down with fever. He learned that home and house were two different things; it was the family, the people, who made a house, a home.

That night, he prayed that Roxas would recover soon, and for them all to return home to reintroduce liveliness and happiness to this house, thereby making it a home again.


	26. Jump

_Thank-yous: to Peppapig11 and SorenDevin for reviewing._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XXVI. Jump**  
_469 / 500_

Although the sea was their backyard, Roxas and Sora loved going to the pool. One of the advantages of swimming in the pool was that they didn't have to worry about getting their swimming trunks soiled by hard-to-get-rid-of grains of sand.

Today, Sora had somehow managed to drag Roxas along to try the diving board. Around three metres above the water they stood, Roxas taking the board next to Sora's. Three metres wasn't really braggable, but they were children; the thought of springing into the air and plunging into the water was thrilling enough for them.

But still, none of them had taken the initiative. Instead, they bickered and even had gone for some rounds of rock-paper-scissors to decide who would be the first to jump, although they ended up with more bickering. Even those who had made space for their landing were now watching them.

"You're jumping first!" Sora demanded.

Roxas crossed his arms over his chest. "No, you are. The youngest always gets priority, remember?"

"You're only older than me by a minute!"

"Still older."

"Why don't we just jump together since we're twins?"

Roxas was about to retort again, but a thought crossed his mind. He figured jumping together might not be a bad idea after all… especially with what he had in mind. He smirked, but was careful not to let Sora see it. "Actually, that's a great idea! You're awesome, Sora."

Sora hadn't expected Roxas' sudden change of disposition, although he failed to see past his guise to spot the malicious intent hidden behind those words. He shrugged it aside anyway, and was happy that he actually managed to talk Roxas into following him again.

"Okay, then. Let's make it a blast," said Roxas. Despite his straight face, he was struggling not to giggle. "On three?"

Sora nodded and pumped his fist in excitement. "This is gonna be fun."

"Right. One…"

"Two…"

"And… three! Jump!"

"I'm jumpiiii—ROOOXAAAAAASSS!"

With a violent splash, Sora disappeared beneath the surface.

Roxas had tricked Sora into jumping ahead. He stayed on his board, laughing hysterically at the way his brother made his landing. Upon seeing Sora emerge, he leaped into the air and entered the water, all done in a slightly more refined manner than the last stunt.

Roxas then surfaced for air beside Sora. "What's wrong, Sora? That was so not classy!" he stated in a teasing tone.

"You're mean! I'm gonna make you pay!"

The seven-year-olds then started splashing water at each other. When one of them accidentally squirted a little girl in the face, a large-scale water fight among the kids in the pool was instigated, and it lasted for more than ten minutes before dying down.

Needless to say, Roxas and Sora exhausted themselves silly; at the day's close, they had a wonderful night's rest.


	27. Dance

_Thank-yous: to SorenDevin for reviewing._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XXVII. Dance**  
_487 / 500_

Out of all the possible punishments for losing a game, dancing had to be the most embarrassing, especially so when the poor contender didn't know how to dance. Ven happened to fall under that group of unfortunate people.

At Roxas and Sora's request, Ven had taken them to attend their friend's birthday party. He hadn't minded, for he loved the sight of children happily running about, and he had nothing important to do anyway. However, the games session was the point where everything went downhill for him, and uphill for everybody else.

Those who weren't adults were required to participate. Of course Ven had to participate; a child he might no longer be, but an adult he was not yet. He was the oldest among the participants—by a huge margin, at that—which meant he had to yield to the children and lose on purpose.

At first, the punishments were still bearable, such as eating extra snacks. However, since he kept losing, they escalated quickly; he had to blow a balloon until it popped, had his face painted with persistent ink, and sang in front of the crowd.

Needless to say, the children were entertained by Ven's acts. "Your brother is so funny!" said one of them to Sora.

Sora nodded in agreement. "Yeah, but you should've seen him at home. He's not only funny, he's crazy."

"And he lost again. Look," Roxas pointed at the direction of Ven.

True enough, Ven had just lost yet another game. The emcee asked the crowd whether dancing would be a good punishment; they, including the twins, unanimously agreed.

The emcee proceeded to show a dance video on the projector for all to see. Ven was supposed to imitate the movements in the video; they involved moving the hips in a ridiculous manner, absurd footworks, and one that resembled riding an imaginary horse.

When the video ended, everybody cheered in excitement, repeatedly shouting Ven's name. Said teenager sighed in defeat; he was even more dejected when he saw a cameraman ready to record his ordeal.

With no other alternatives available, Ven swallowed his embarrassment and looked at the children in the eyes. "Right… but there won't be any encore, so watch carefully, okay?"

"Okaaaay!" replied the children in unison.

With that, the emcee replayed the video to which Ven started dancing. Ven's inability to dance caused him to pull off a myriad of awkward moves. His body swayed back and forth while it should have only been his hips, he almost tripped on his own shoelace, and when doing the horse-riding part, he ended up constantly switching positions between squatting and standing. What a sight to behold it was.

"You call that… dancing?" one of the children remarked incredulously. "I think we can do better than that…"

In reply, Roxas shrugged and produced a slight smile. "I have nothing to say about it, but let's just watch him before it ends."


	28. Blanket

_Thank-yous: to SorenDevin for reviewing._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XXVIII. Blanket**  
_455 / 500_

It was Friday night, and Roxas and Sora were watching an action movie in Ven's room. They had found themselves a real comfortable position: lying on their brother's side, oblivious of the fact that the bed was barely wide enough for all three of them.

Near the end of the movie, there was a scene depicting someone falling from an apartment building. Fortunately, a tree broke his fall, and he landed on a patch of grass that acted like a cushion, reducing the impact. He immediately got up and evacuated the scene, albeit limping.

"Wooow! He's still alive!" exclaimed Sora. His eyes glimmered brilliantly in excitement. "I think he's probably got some broken bones now. Don't you?"

What he got as his reply was silence. Sora was surprised to see that he had somehow outlasted Ven and Roxas, who had fallen asleep by now. He could hear them snore lightly, which meant it had been quite some time since they lost consciousness.

Sora continued to watch the rest of the movie by himself. When it ended, he knew he had to wake Roxas up and return to their respective rooms, but he was just too lazy for that. Instead, he turned off the television and room light, lay down beside Roxas, and snuggled under the blanket.

It had been ages since they last stayed over in Ven's room… one night wouldn't hurt, would it?

"Good night, Ven, Rox," Sora whispered to his brothers. "It's getting crowded here, but I hope you don't mind."

* * *

Ven woke up in the middle of the night to a tug. When he sat up, he almost fell off the edge of his bed, because Roxas and Sora had taken up two-thirds of the space. He also learned that the disturbance came from Roxas who was subconsciously tugging at his blanket.

The children were shivering. Ven had somehow taken complete possession of the blanket, leaving them exposed to the cold for a long time. That was why Roxas had been trying to get some share of the blanket.

'Must've fallen asleep while watching the movie, huh…' Ven chuckled inwardly. 'Just like me…'

He decided that he would allow the children have the bed for themselves. Although his blanket was thick and comfortable, he had no qualms giving it up for them. With that, he took his jacket from the wardrobe, put it on to keep himself warm, and covered Roxas and Sora with his blanket.

Seeing them snuggle in its warmth, he produced a smile. "Comfy, isn't it? See you in the morning, and sleep well," he said, kissing them both on the cheek before going back to sleep again, this time at the desk like he sometimes did during lessons.


	29. Notes

_Thank-yous: to EmiChance for favouriting and following._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XXIX. Notes**  
_488 / 500_

There was a day on which the twins had to stay late at school. Because Sora had wanted to audition for the students' choir, Roxas helped him rehearse in the music room by accompanying him with the piano.

Before rehearsing the song, Sora asked Roxas to help him warm up. "Where do you think I should start from?" he asked, referring to the starting note.

"Let's start from C," replied Roxas. He then pressed the C key, followed by E, G, E, and C again. "Try singing that sequence. I'll step it up after every go."

"Sounds good to me."

Sora made it through the first few sequences no problem. However, he started having problems when they reached the sequence that started from A; at the following notes he wobbled and was unable to hit exactly the right pitches.

"You're half a note lower. Try again," said Roxas.

Sora nodded and tried again, but the result was the same, which prompted him to apologise. Roxas just shrugged and told him it was no problem, and told him to have some water before they continued. That didn't help, for instead of sounding the high E, Sora let out a piercing shriek in falsetto.

Roxas couldn't contain his entertainment and laughed at the sound. "Sora, what's that? You sounded like a mouse getting run over by a car!"

"That's not funny!" Sora pouted, yet he laughed, too. He knew his brother didn't mean it with his words. After the laughter had subsided, Sora apologised to Roxas. "Sorry for screwing up, Rox… do you mind trying it again?"

"Yeah, that's okay," Roxas smiled reassuringly. "There's a high F note in your song, so you've gotta clear this sequence and one more after that before going to the song. Anytime you're ready."

"I'm ready. Let's go," replied Sora.

With that, Roxas played the sequence again and Sora followed; this time, he did fine. He even could clear the next sequence quite well. After going back all the way to base C, Roxas decided that Sora had warmed up enough although his voice was still a bit shaky when trying to hit the high F.

It was time to rehearse for the song, so they did. Thanks to the warm-up, the only difficulty Sora faced was those two bars with the high notes, so they repeated the part again. When they redid the song from the beginning, he was able to go through it no problem.

After lifting his fingers from the piano keys, Roxas applauded. "I'm sure you'll do great in the audition," he said with conviction. "But I'm just accompanying you, okay? I'm not gonna join the choir."

Sora smiled and thanked Roxas for his help. However, the blonde didn't see the mischievous glimmer in his eyes; he had something in mind, and he was sure Roxas' journey wouldn't simply end there and then.

"We'll see about it…" he said knowingly.


	30. Life

_Thank-yous: to LovingAnime97, Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN, and GlimmerCreator for reviewing and/or following._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XXX. Life**  
_477 / 500_

Life could be likened to a rollercoaster. It went up, then down. It picked up speed only to stop moments later. There were corkscrews and loops. A rider couldn't possibly know what would happen along the track.

Unpredictability—that was one of Roxas' reasons of disliking rollercoasters. And by extension, the way life worked.

When Roxas was happy, everything could all be tumbling down in a flash. Whether it was because of a seemingly unsolvable problem, his classmates, or his own rather withdrawn personality when not around those close to him, he couldn't seem to enjoy the goodness of life for too long.

Sometimes Roxas found himself forced to take control and make a decision. He never liked making decisions, even though he knew inaction would take him nowhere. What if it led him to a difficult path? Nobody couldn't have known where he would end up, and it was this unknown variable that Roxas was afraid of.

However, in times of his sadness, light always managed to shine through. He always found comfort in Ven. It didn't matter who came to whom first; Ven never failed to console him no matter how low or hard he had fallen. Not to say that he didn't love his parents, but Ven was the first person whom Roxas would always come to in his times of distress.

Sora, too, was always there for him. His kindness was always genuine and sincere. True, sometimes he could get overboard and intrusive, thus getting on his nerves, but Roxas could never hate his younger brother for that. He knew it was just out of concern, especially after his parents had told him that as his twin, Sora could somehow feel his sadness and pain, whatever it meant, and that it made their bond special.

Roxas was just a little kid. He constantly questioned in his mind why he couldn't be happy all the time. He couldn't grasp why life had to be mean when he least expected it. Life was unpredictable, having its ups and downs at certain times, and that was what he wished could have been different.

But at least he knew something: he was never alone. Ven and Sora's presence drove him to keep rising and going, even in sadness. They had promised that they would always be there for him, and never even once did he doubt their faithfulness to the promise.

He would never trade them with anything else in this world; he couldn't imagine how he would live life without them, guardian angels who had taken the forms of his brothers. That was why Roxas would always love and treasure his brothers in his heart.

But life doesn't always play nice, and soon it would throw the mother of all curveballs at him. That a life-changing event would happen in the near future, he would never know…


	31. Death

_Thank-yous: to Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN, aloof-kokiri, GlimmerCreator, and SorenDevin for reviewing._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XXXI. Death**  
_480 / 500_

Throughout his life, this was Sora's first exposure to someone's passing-away. He had heard stories, but seeing it firsthand was a whole different story.

Just like others around him, he was wearing all black. They watched in sombre mood as the casket was lowered into the pre-dug grave. As the funeral ceremony continued, Sora just couldn't divert his attention away from a particular someone.

Kairi.

The little girl was devastated. Ever since losing her mother from illness, she had been leaning on his grandmother for support, but… the elderly lady had passed away. Kairi had learned a lot from her, as much as she loved her stories and helping her at the flower shop. Without her, nothing would be the same.

Sitting on the frontmost row of benches, she said not a single word throughout the ceremony. Even as people came forward to offer their condolences, including Sora and his family, she maintained her silence and made no effort to lift her head to look at them in the eye.

One by one, the attendees left until eventually Kairi's and Sora's families were the only ones remaining. Before leaving, Sora asked his parents for some time, which they granted. With their permission, he walked to where Kairi was and took a seat beside her.

Despite his intent to comfort her, he couldn't think of a single word to say. He had never been in this situation before. He was afraid he would say the wrong thing and offend her feeling, making the situation even worse for her; that would be the last thing he would do right now.

But perhaps Sora didn't need to say anything after all.

Kairi leaned over and cried on his shoulder. It took Sora by surprise and made him sad, too. However, figuring that she must be feeling very lonely right now, he instinctively took her palm in his and held it ever so gently. He wanted to believe that his action would help in easing her pain of loss.

"I'm sorry, Kairi…" he said plaintively. Sharing her sadness, he began to shed tears of his own. "I'm sorry… but if there's anything I can do, just say it…"

Although struggling, Kairi managed to say a few words. "Sora, could you… stay here with me for a while?"

Sora nodded in reply. "Sure, if it'll make you feel better."

"Thank you…"

It was then that Sora remembered the words said by Kairi's grandmother back when he visited her at the flower shop. She had mentioned something about how sakura flowers taught them to fill the world with as many good things as possible during the course of our lives, and that everybody shared the same cause.

"_As the old will soon fall, the new will rise in its place. The new…_"

"They're us," Sora finished the sentence in his head. "We'll rise in their place…"


	32. That Special Person

_Thank-yous: to SorenDevin and Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN for reviewing._

_Pre-note: Apologies for uploading this chapter an hour later than usual. I had a meeting with my manager. That said, enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XXXII. That Special Person**  
_475 / 500_

"_When two people share it, their destinies become intertwined._"

That was what people said about that star-shaped fruits of the paopu tree native to Destiny Islands.

However, there was one thing that Roxas didn't understand. If the fruits did indeed have such powers, why were they so widely available all around the Islands? Wouldn't the fruits' ubiquity in shops trivialise the supposedly deep meaning they symbolised? In order to find out, Roxas decided to pay the grocery a visit and buy one.

The shopkeeper was pleasantly surprised to see her loyal little customer. The kid asked her whether the legend was true, but she couldn't give a definite answer for that and urged him to find out by himself.

Roxas crossed his arms over his chest and started thinking. "Do you think it'll work if I secretly give it to someone?"

"My dear, why would you do that?" the shopkeeper asked back. Although Roxas didn't answer, a look of understanding crossed her face. "Is it because you're afraid to be honest to her about your feelings?"

It was as though she had found a bomb. At those words, Roxas stooped his head as he blushed. He made a mental note to keep his intentions inconspicuous next time.

"If she's that special for you and you mean it, better let her know about it, don't you think?"

Without saying a single word, the boy paid for the paopu fruit and made his hasty exit from the grocery, all while avoiding eye contact with the shopkeeper. She found this turn of events very interesting; few things were sweeter than little children having innocent crush on each other.

* * *

But now, near her, Roxas couldn't form words or even move. How he wanted to slap himself hard for not being courageous enough to present the fruit and convey his intentions. That would be a waste of his effort and time of visiting her at her house.

After Kingdom Hearts knew how long, he finally manned up. Inhaling deeply and holding his head high, Roxas said her name.

"Yes, Roxas?"

When she turned around and looked at him with those ocean-blue eyes, he almost lost his courage once more. However, he couldn't bring himself to yield; he had come this far, so he might as well just go with it. So, with a quick motion of his hand, Roxas reached to his bag and showed her the paopu fruit.

The ravenette let out an audible gasp at the sight; just like him, she knew the story behind the fruit and why it was such a big deal for some people in the Islands. Yet, now, here she was, with the boy she had admitted was cute offering it to her.

Her face, as was Roxas', was now as red as a tomato.

"Xion, do you mind… sharing this with me?"


	33. Guns

_Thank-yous: to KHWriter dot com, SorenDevin, and Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN for reviewing, following, and/or favouriting._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XXXIII. Guns**  
_493 / 500_

It was an uneventful evening when all five members of the family gathered together in the living room. Ven was helping Sora build a house from Lego blocks, Roxas reading a book, and the parents generally watching the news while observing their sons.

Suddenly, a reportage about an accident showed up. A man had shot his colleague with a gun, leaving him in a critical condition. What caught the parents' attention, however, was the fact that the accident had happened in Port Royal, a coastal city separated from the Islands by only a five-kilometre stretch of water.

"Things like this keep happening in Port Royal," Ven sighed. "Lucky we don't go to the mainland that often. Everyone has a gun there… bad things are gonna happen when you have one."

"But can you really blame them? They might have guns for self-defence since the city is unsafe in the first place," Mrs. Skylers raised a point.

Ven saw his mother's opinion as legitimate, but being the pacifist he was, was still headstrong about how having weapons in possession would only bring about unfortunate occurrences. Be it a gun, taser, or even pepper spray, it would eventually claim its victims in due time.

Suddenly, Sora spoke up. "So, a gun makes someone a bad guy? How about other weapons?"

"Um, I don't think so, Sora," Roxas chimed in, peeking from the top of his book.

"Then what do you think?"

"Remember mister policemen Dilan and Aeleus? They look scary and have guns, but they're really nice guys and we all know it. I think it depends on the person."

The father confirmed that Roxas was correct. He then went on to explain how guns—and any other weapons at that—were neutral, neither good nor evil. He likened them to a stone, which would do nothing by itself, but could be used by people to either build or destroy things.

He also informed them that weapons could be used for protection, citing Roxas' example, as well as to damage, just like what had happened in Port Royal. In the end, however, it was the possessor who had the final say on what they were going to use the weapons for.

Sora felt enlightened hearing his father's story and beamed a relieved smile. "That's good to know! That means me and Roxas can still practice kendo and there's nothing to worry about."

"Why's that?" asked Mrs. Skylers.

"Well, a wooden sword is still a weapon. But the teacher always says not to use the knowledge to do bad things and makes us promise," replied Roxas. "That's why we won't do that, especially after hearing dad's explanation. We're gonna use it to build, not to destroy. Right, Sora?"

Said brunet nodded enthusiastically in agreement. "Yeah, we learned a lot! Thanks, dad!"

As did Ven and the mother, Mr. Skylers produced a smile. "You're very welcome," he said, patting the twins on the shoulder. "I'm very proud of you."


	34. Date

_Thank-yous: to a guest, Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN, and SorenDevin for reviewing._

_Pre-note: Although the title of this fic has been changed, it's still the same story. The change reflects something that will be elaborated in one of the final chapters._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XXXIV. Date**  
_496 / 500_

Welcome February.

Love was the hot topic at the university. Students talked about those who were currently in a relationship, such as Ven, who felt this overly sensationalised occasion known as Valentine's Day was more of a bane to him than a boon.

Even right now, Ven's single friends were pressing him to talk about his plans for the fourteenth. This had been going since the first day of the month, and seriously, he just couldn't understand why he had to disclose anything to anyone else.

He was fed up, but he wasn't going to give up without a resistance of his own. "Okay, okay! I've got a date for Valentine's Day," he said in exasperation. "There. Happy?"

"Sweet!" Zack exclaimed with interest. "But now that you've been going out with Fuu, you're becoming secretive. That's cold, man."

"No use keeping secrets," his senior, Terra, stated proudly. "So tell us. What're you planning to do?"

"A thousand munny says Dr. Lou's, romantic candlelit dinner."

"The words 'Ventus' and 'romantic' don't go hand-in-hand. I'm sure they're going to the cinema to watch comedy."

"Laaame. No wonder you broke up."

"So says Mr. Single-for-Nineteen-Years. Hurry and find someone, otherwise you'll die a forever-alone."

"W-watch it, pal! I'm just too cool for most of the girls, that's all."

"Sounds legitimate."

Seeing how he had managed to get his friends worked up over nothing, Ven became highly amused. For them to cease arguing, he had to remind them that he was present. That prompted them to refocus on the topic: Ven's plans.

Ven feigned annoyance by rolling his eyes. "I told you, I've got a date. Sheesh, you're hard to please."

"Details," Terra spoke, crossing his arms over the chest defiantly. "You're hopeless. You won't survive being interrogated by the police."

"You're suggesting you've been interrogated before?" Zack smirked.

"Don't digress. Now Ven, talk."

The blonde told them to listen carefully because he was only going to say it once and in soft whispers, causing them to draw closer toward him. They went through a stage of suspenseful silence before preparing themselves for the big reveal…

… only to witness Ven snort and laugh. "I-I can't take it anymore! You guys are seriously clueless!" he said.

"Clueless? You mean… you lied to us?" asked Zack.

Ven laughed for several more seconds before finally coming to. "About the date? I wasn't lying. Now listen carefully, I said I've got a date for Valentine's Day, and it's the fourteenth."

"And…?"

Instead of replying, Ven grinned and started counting up from one. It was only when he reached ten that Zack and Terra realised the meaning behind his words; needless to say, they felt stupid for having been tricked. They had just been reminded of how crafty Ven could be.

"Ven… you—"

"Oops, look at the time. Gotta get Roxas and Sora at their school. Buh-bye!"

And just like that, Ven fled to the parking lot, leaving his dumbfounded friends in the dust.


	35. Photo

_Thank-yous: to aloof-kokiri, SorenDevin, and Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN for reviewing._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XXXV. Photo**  
_496 / 500_

This particular afternoon was scorching hot.

Just like many other people, the Skylers brothers were on the beach park enjoying the weather. They were playing frisbee, although without Sora; said boy was walking around, taking photographs with a polaroid camera Ven had passed down to him.

After photographing several objects and people, he lay down on a nearby bench nearby. As the sea breeze gently caressed his face, the charms of sleep steadily enticed him; he finally yielded and consciousness fled his being.

He woke up with a start. He didn't know how long he had been offline, but seeing that Ven and Roxas were still engaged in the game, it looked like not much time had passed.

Once again, he closed his eyes, stretched his limbs, and yawned, letting the wonderful sensation course through his body. Just before the pleasure turned into pain due to strain, he slowly opened his eyes.

"Whoa!"

The sight of a certain red-haired little girl standing before him surprised him. She giggled, causing Sora to snap right out of his alarmed state and loosen up a bit.

"Gimme a break, Kairi," he said as he sat up, gesturing to said girl to be seated next to him.

"Sora, you sleepyhead. You're letting the good weather go to waste," Kairi teased, her tone of voice playful as usual. "You should exercise more, like Ven and Roxas. They even asked if I wanted to join them."

Sora smiled sheepishly. "I've been taking these for half an hour," he said while taking the results of his photo-hunting session out of his waistpack and passed them to her. "It wasn't exactly easy…"

Kairi had to admit, the photographs were not bad and some were even amazing, even if just a coincidence. It looked like Sora had it in him to be a photographer, so she believed.

"I love the pictures," she said with a smile. "But there's one thing that I don't like."

Hearing those words, Sora's smile faded. "Oh… okay. What's that?"

"There's no picture of you! Let's take a picture together, Sora!"

Kairi punctuated her sentence by storming off toward Ven and Roxas. After a brief conversation during which she passed the camera back to Ven, she returned with him in tow, Roxas following closely behind.

When they returned, Ven told them to get ready to be photographed. Kairi immediately stood beside Sora, held his palm in hers, and rested her head on his shoulder; the brunet jumped in surprise, his face reddening as he assumed an awkward expression. He wanted to protest, but…

_Snap._

Too late.

Ven had pressed the shutter button—intentionally—at that very moment, immortalising Sora's priceless reaction at Kairi's affectionate actions. He let the photograph develop for a while, and when it finally did, he directed a mawkish "aww" toward Sora who was still blushing madly.

"We can blackmail Sora with this," he said to Roxas with a mischievous smile, gaining a nod of approval from the younger boy.


	36. Unaware of It

_Thank-yous: to fakepuesdo and Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN for reviewing and/or favouriting._

_Pre-note: This chapter takes place when Ven and Sora was fifteen and four, respectively._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XXXVI. Unaware of It**  
_500 / 500_

That morning, Ven found out that his application to the high school of his choice had been rejected since he had failed to score past the required grade in the entrance examination. He was made even more devastated knowing that he was the only one in his group who hadn't made it.

Once school had ended, Ven returned straight home. Although he reciprocated the blissful greetings of his little brothers upon arrival, he immediately went into his room, closing the door but not locking it.

Usually Ven would spend some time, however momentarily, playing with them when getting back home, but not today. Sora was alarmed by this; despite Roxas' insistence that he might just be tired and they had better let him rest, he decided to check on Ven.

When he wandered into the room, he found Ven crying on the bed. He had never seen him cry before! This caused him to think hard to find out about what might be troubling him.

'I wonder what's wrong with him? He's the strongest guy ever, like a rock. Never breaks. Soaks everything… like a sponge,' he thought. However, it was at this word that he cocked his head to the side like an adorable little owl. 'So is Ven a rock or sponge? I'm confused…'

Sora kept thinking. Ven seemed hurt, but the kid knew nobody—nothing—could ever hurt him. If there was, it would probably be his own self.

And… light bulb.

'I know!' he mentally exclaimed as the puzzle pieces fell into place. 'He stubbed his little toe! That hurts a lot, not even Ven can take it!'

He then climbed onto the bed and sat beside the blonde. He proceeded to gently rub Ven's back in circles, because that was what his mother always did whenever he hurt himself… and it always worked.

At the sensation, Ven lifted his head to see Sora. He immediately stopped crying and gave a dejected smile. "Sorry, Sora… I'm not feeling too great…"

"That's okay, Ven. I know how you feel," came the kid's reply.

Ven looked at Sora as though he had grown a second head. He couldn't possibly know what he was going through right now, could he? Sora didn't have to worry about elementary school yet, let alone high school. "Okay…? And how did you know…?"

"Because I also stub my little toe all the time. It hurts, so I cry, too. But I feel better when mom hugs me, so… you want a hug?"

There was a period of silence after which Ven's smile was replaced by a more genuine one. Touched by his brother's kindness, he wrapped his arms around Sora's little figure, his worry and anxiety leaking away as he did so.

Even though Sora was unaware of his real problem, Ven was glad to have him with him. The warmth radiating from Sora's being was real, his intention to make him feel better truly genuine and sincere. That was what counts.


	37. Teach Me

_Thank-yous: to Ixara (I know a friend of mine who often goes by this username. I wonder if you're him), Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN, and Butterman for reviewing._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XXXVII. Teach Me**  
_494 / 500_

It was half past five in the morning, but Sora had woken up. Because he had gone to bed way earlier than usual last night, he had neglected to do his mathematics homework that was due today.

Just like Ven, Sora happened to dislike math. Thirty minutes had passed and he wasn't going anywhere. He was getting desperate, so he woke Roxas up. Of course said boy was nowhere near pleased by this; he was angry. It took some persuasion to get him to agree to help, albeit begrudgingly.

Normally, Roxas was always patient with Sora. However, having been robbed of his sleep, he was highly cranky, and had eventually had enough of Sora's repeated mistakes. "No, that's wrong!" he grumbled. "Why do you keep making mistakes? You're so weak in multiplying by eight!"

"Is there any easy way to do it?" asked Sora.

"Adding the number eight times is the easiest way! And how do you think you're gonna do multiplications by nine? You're not getting anywhere like this, Sora."

At those words, Sora stopped writing. Never had he thought Roxas would say that to him. However, truth was he just did, and when he thought about it, it must have been because he was too dumb to understand the problems. It was his own fault, nobody else's.

"I know. I'm sorry…" he said. Although he was hurt, he managed a smile instead, a very sad one. "Sorry I woke you up just to get mad at me… you can get back to sleep if you want. I think I can do this by myself… I'm okay, Rox."

Opting to say nothing, Roxas made his exit from Sora's room and closed the door. Instead of going back to his room, though, he stood before the door for a few minutes, seemingly weighing between options.

True, he was angry because of being woken up at such an early hour. However, the trouble Sora was going through was real, and he didn't want to see him struggle like that. It wasn't like he deserved it… Sora had gone to bed early because he had been too exhausted from his basketball extracurricular activity that had ended so late, not because of laziness.

When he finally decided, Roxas went to the kitchen and heated two cups of milk. He brought them back to Sora's room, surprising said boy who had been struggling with his homework. Before he could say anything, Roxas invited him to sit on the floor, offered the milk, and agreed to teach him.

Thanks to Roxas, Sora managed to finish his homework just in time for breakfast. His explanations also allowed him to understand multiplication a little better. "You're a real lifesaver. Thanks a lot, Rox," he said with a tired grin.

Roxas shook his head and sighed, but couldn't help smiling at that sincere gratitude. "If it was someone else and not you, I would've scribbled all over his book. You're welcome, Sora."


	38. Skateboard

_Thank-yous: to Ixara (yeah, he's my real-life friend alright. Thanks for being willing to review here instead of via WhatsApp, haha), Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN, KanikiKyon, Peppapig11, and Butterman for reviewing and/or favouriting. To Butterman, yes, there will eventually be a chapter about that._

_Pre-note: Although Roxas and Sora aren't featured here, this chapter takes place just before they turned seven._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XXXVIII. Skateboard**  
_490 / 500_

"So, you want to buy them skateboards for their present," said Mr. Skylers.

Ven nodded. He knew Roxas and Sora's decision about wanting to learn how to skateboard was final, and they would never back out of their words. Whether skateboard was an unorthodox option, they wouldn't care.

Mr. Skylers then asked the most fundamental question. "Why? I don't mean to discourage, but don't you think they're still too… young to learn to skateboard? Why not bicycles instead?"

"Well, dad," Ven began. "You wanted me to learn to cycle when I was six. I dunno how many times I fell down that time. And to be honest, I don't see how it differs from skateboarding."

It was now Mrs. Skylers' turn to express her opinion. "That's because you're already skilled in both. My concern is that our neighbours don't hold skateboarding with high regards. If they see Roxas and Sora with skateboards…"

"Because of Vanitas and his gang?" asked Ven, to which his mother gave a nod. "Those fellas give skaters a bad name. As long as we steer clear from them, nothing's gonna happen. Just look at me, I'm okay so far."

"But what if they get hurt in learning it?"

"Awh, mom! Scratches are nothing for them. If they wanna learn something, they've gotta go out there and fall down, see some stars… or get some bleeding wounds, or perhaps stitches—"

"Ventus!"

Ven was cut short by the sound of his name. Knowing he must have gone overboard, he rubbed the back of his head and smiled sheepishly in apology. "Well, my point is… they're not gonna learn anything if they don't take the risk. Same goes for cycling. They're strong boys! I know they're gonna be okay.

"I've, um… never given them birthday presents before. They really want those skateboards, and now's my chance to give them something that counts," he continued. "Please, dad, mom. I've been saving, and I think I already have enough munny for this… you don't have to worry about anything."

Ven was finally done with his arguments. Mr. Skylers just sat there, still opting to say nothing, while Mrs. Skylers' face was unreadable. She softly spoke to her husband, although Ven made no effort to catch the words—he knew it wasn't good to stick his nose into things.

The silence lingered for one more minute before Mr. Skylers let out a sigh. "You can be so stubborn sometimes, Ventus," he said. "But I see that your arguments are valid. You've got a green light, son."

Ven almost jumped out of his chair for joy. Words couldn't describe how happy he felt right now. Finally, after waiting for seven years, he could buy presents for Roxas and Sora with his own money!

"Thanks, dad! Thanks, mom!" he said, hugging his parents and kissing them on the cheek. "I can't wait to see their faces when they find out. They're gonna be so happy!"


	39. Social

_Thank-yous: to Ixara and Kupkake for reviewing._

_Pre-note: This chapter takes place during Roxas and Sora's very first day of elementary school._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XXXIX. Social**  
_493 / 500_

It was so different. The building, the people, the atmosphere—elementary school was nothing like kindergarten. With only a piece of paper containing the information about his classroom on his hand, Roxas felt as though he was plunging into the battlefield without being properly armed.

Being a slightly-more-than-an-introvert he was, he sought comfort in the familiar person beside him. Apprehensively clasping Sora's palm, he let the younger twin lead the way, which he somehow managed to do despite the sea of people and the winding hallways.

It turned out that the teacher had divided the class into two groups for the day's activities, and Roxas and Sora happened to be in different groups. Much to Roxas' dismay, Sora's group was taken to the next classroom. They might be only a room apart, but that wall was all it needed to trigger Roxas' separation anxiety.

But rules are rules, and they had to be observed. After hearing Sora's words of encouragement that he would do just fine, he entered his classroom and hoped for the best.

As he had expected, they had to introduce themselves to their groupmates. It was beyond him how some actually did so most eloquently, just like Sora. Speaking of whom, Roxas was sure his brother was having the time of his life simply because he loved meeting all kinds of people. Yes, he was that: a people person.

What about him?

"H-hello. I'm Roxas Skylers. Nice to meet you," was all he said before returning to his seat.

After two slow, agonising periods, the bell heralding recess period finally rang. It was then that Sora strolled in, tugging at his sleeve in an attempt to get him to go out and play with his newfound friends. There was no rejecting Sora's demands, so Roxas yielded and tagged along.

At the playing field, seven people had been waiting. Sora walked toward them and introduced Roxas to them. It turned out five of the seven people present were his friends! In just two hours, he had made more friends than Roxas predicted he himself would in one day.

Despite having been introduced, Roxas kept his distance, causing the others—particularly this silver-haired second grader—to shot him questioning stares for being so reclusive. Practically, he was only playing with Sora, but that was how he liked it to be. Unless he knew he could trust the others as he did Sora, he wouldn't trouble himself opening up to them.

Other people could contrast him to Sora for all they wanted, he wouldn't care the slightest bit. He just wasn't a social butterfly like his brother, and hadn't been from the start. Nobody could, would, and should change the way he was, that he believed.

Well, he got what he wanted. For the next week, nobody did, and he sort of became the batch's recluse.

Until a certain ravenette broke the norm and sat next to him during one of the lunch breaks, that is.

* * *

_Post-note: I think I might have ended up with Antisocial instead of Social as the theme. Oh well… sorry about that. I'm feeling quite down today, and it might have affected my writing. But I'll be alright. :)_


	40. Emo

_Thank-yous: to Ixara, Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN, Butterman, and Kupkake for reviewing._

_Pre-note: Another Saturday upload to celebrate the Independence Day of my home country. This chapter is the continuation of the previous one. To Kupkake, your question will be answered right now!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XL. Emo**  
_494 / 500_

It was lunch break, and as usual, Roxas was sitting alone at the canteen. While in a glimpse he seemed to be avoiding other students, he was actually waiting for Sora.

Instead of Sora, a girl with shoulder-length raven hair came strolling around, carrying a lunch box of her own. Seeing the empty seat across Roxas, she approached him. "Hi. If this seat isn't taken, can I sit here?" she asked politely.

Roxas sighed. It looked like he could no longer enjoy his lunch. He knew, though, that it was impolite to answer 'no' to her question while the seat was indeed vacant, so he gave her permission to sit there.

The girl introduced herself as Xion, and said that she was also sitting in the first grade. In return, Roxas introduced himself, and concluded that she had to be from a different class since he had never seen her before.

Roxas was irritated by Xion who kept sharing her opinions about the first few days of school. He found himself fighting the urge to whine every time she asked for his thoughts, although he ended up replying her anyway. Still, his replies were devoid of interest; he just wanted to be left alone, was that too much an ask? He had to retreat further into himself because of that.

Noticing Roxas' reluctance to speak, Xion attempted a conversation with him. "What's wrong, Roxas? You haven't talked much…"

"Nothing," was all his reply.

"Are you sure?" she asked again. "You can talk to me if there's anything you wanna talk about."

Roxas' expression tensed. What made her think he would trust someone he had only known for less than thirty minutes? "Nothing. I'm fine, okay?"

Sensing the near-hostility in Roxas' voice, Xion visibly cringed. However, she appreciated Roxas' need for privacy, and stopped asking questions. They spent the rest of the period in total silence, ending only when Xion was done with her lunch.

"It's nice to know you, Roxas. Sorry if I said anything wrong…" she said sadly before walking off, returning to her class.

It was then that realisation struck Roxas. In this one week, Xion was the only person—besides Sora—to initiate a conversation with him. She deserved credits for trying; nobody else would do that because he believed they thought he was just some strange guy.

And was that hurt in her eyes and voice shortly before leaving? Had he hurt her by refusing to interact with her? Usually he wouldn't care the slightest bit, but what was this feeling of guilt eating through him right now? It was as though to him, Xion was… different, somehow. Perhaps even special.

With that, Roxas shed his reservedness and rushed to catch up with Xion, surprising her. He was hesitant at first, but eventually managed to convey his intentions albeit shyly. "Um… you can come again tomorrow, if you want…"

A new friendship was forged when the girl smiled and accepted his invitation.


	41. Skinny

_Thank-yous: to Ixara, Butterman, RUHLSAR000, and XxRaptorKingxX for reviewing, favouriting, and following._

_Pre-note: Ven shaming ahead. I drew inspiration for this chapter from a conversation between a cousin and his little brother. Children do say the darndest things!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XLI. Skinny**  
_493 / 500_

"Ven, just choose another pair and let's get going already."

Ven was hopping around on one foot in an attempt to fit a pair of jeans on himself. It was very obvious that he had grown too big for that article of clothing; combine it with the fact that they were skinny jeans, he wouldn't look good in them. At all.

"Ah, um, w-wait a sec… I got this," said the seventeen-year-old. He finally managed to pull up the jeans up to his waist and buttoned it, but not without much effort and grunts laden with foolish determination—and perhaps pain. "There! Phew… how do I look?"

Sora gave an awkward, lopsided smile. "Um, I… dunno…?"

"Not good," Roxas spoke the truth blatantly, shaking his head. "They're too tight and short. Look, they don't even go down to your ankle. Don't wear those, Ven… it's embarrassing."

Roxas was telling the truth. Not only Ven looked like someone who trod flooded streets, the way the skinny jeans pressed against his legs also made him feel like those poor frozen, plastic-wrapped chickens at the meat section in the grocery. And let's not mention how they actually restricted his movements which was uncomfortable to say the least.

"Awh. I've only got to wear them once, and now I gotta throw them away…" Ven complained, his head hanging low. "What a waste. I bought them for three thousand munny, and it was the price after discount…"

"When did you buy them?" asked Roxas.

"Two years ago. Have I really grown this much in two years?"

Ven indeed had grown. Growth spurt had hit him like a truck, pushing him from barely one-sixty-centimetre tall to one-seventy-something. Although he didn't work out, his muscles seemed to have developed by themselves, giving him a lean build rather than lanky.

Why he didn't grow up, though, was a mystery to mankind. But that was what Roxas and Sora loved about Ven: his childishness and high-spirited nature.

Defeated, Ven ransacked his drawer to find a more comfortable pair of jeans to wear. However, when Roxas and Sora caught a glimpse of Ven's side view, they snorted in hilarity at a certain sight and immediately burst out into laughter.

Once they had calmed down, Ven asked about it, but the answer was one he wasn't sure he would like to hear.

"Your jeans… so tight…" Sora spoke, struggling to form a coherent sentence. "Your pee-pee looks like a speed bump!"

Thanks to Sora, a blush made its way to Ven's face. Sure enough, when he looked down, he was surprised to see on his nether regions a noticeable… lump? Bulge? Whatever. The point is that he hadn't realised how too big he had become for this pair, he failed to notice they had pressed so tight against his 'pee-pee' and given rise to this embarrassing protrusion.

"Like… a speed bump…?" he mumbled louder than he should have, causing the twins to laugh once more.


	42. Sins

_Thank-yous: to KHWriter dot com, Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN, Ixara, Butterman, Kupkake, Espadakatsukreuz XIII, and Gummybear Studios for reviewing, favouriting, and/or following._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XLII. Sins**  
_493 / 500_

_It's a sin to lie._

Those words had been echoing in Roxas and Sora's mind. Their parents were currently questioning them about how Sora had obtained the wounds on his face and arms. It was very obvious, though, that those were the result of fighting.

Should Sora be honest about the fight, he would have to face other consequences. His father had taught them that one should never resort to violence, and that his and Roxas' knowledge of kendo may only be used as a means of self-defence. Sadly, he had used it to instigate the fight.

Sora could make up stories, but he would be sinning. And Roxas… he wouldn't be able to lie. It was as though their parents were testing them to see what they would do under pressure. Surely, this was a no-win situation.

Suddenly, Roxas spoke up. "It was my fault."

Sora was taken aback by Roxas' words. He now had his eyes wide open, his jaws agape. "What… are you saying?"

"I could've just walked away, but I didn't. And I… let you fight them," said Roxas, his head stooped low in regret. "Sora, I'm sorry… mom, dad, I'm sorry."

"It was me who fought, Rox!" Sora raised his voice. "It wasn't your fault!"

Sora then divulged everything. That evening, they had gotten into a fight with some older children; Sora couldn't stand seeing them make fun of Roxas, so he defended him and challenged them despite Roxas' pleas not to. They were stronger, though, and he ended up with those wounds.

"Mom, dad, it was my fault. Roxas didn't do anything, so please… don't punish him…"

The father exhaled audibly. "Roxas, Sora… you know what we said about fighting," he said, prompting an embarrassed collective nod from the kids. He stayed silent for a while before his expression relaxed slightly. "However, you were honest about it. That's what's important."

"But a fight's still a fight," the mother continued. "And Roxas, you could've stopped Sora, but didn't. Both of you could've done better than that."

Roxas and Sora didn't lift their head. They knew they had to write on the Book again. They could only surrender and wait for their mother to tell them what to write and the number of pages.

But that didn't happen. Instead, Mrs. Skylers ruffled their hair affectionately. "Go have a shower, okay?" she said in a gentle voice. "After that, go to bed. No TV tonight."

The boys looked up in unison, their eyes glimmering in hope. "No Book, mom?" they asked in anticipation.

Mrs. Skylers shook her head with a smile. With light hearts, Roxas and Sora hugged their parents before apologising sincerely once more and proceeding to do as told. Even though they couldn't watch their favourite anime, they felt right as rain; they didn't sin, and it was as though a heavy burden had been lifted off their hearts.

In the family, honesty indeed is the best policy.

* * *

_Post-note: When I was a kid, every time I violate any one point from the set of rules imposed by my parents, they had me write my misdeed (for example, "I did not eat my lunch this afternoon") in a notebook whose pages are slightly smaller than A4 size. We referred to this book as, well, the Book. The worst punishment I'd ever received that time was writing a lengthy sentence for fifteen pages, which took around four hours to complete since I had to write in cursive and keep my handwriting consistently good._


	43. Too Salty

_Thank-yous: to Ixara, Butterman, and Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN for reviewing._

_Pre-note: Early upload! I won't be able to connect to the Internet at the usual time since I'll be flying overseas. Do enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XLIII. Too Salty**  
_481 / 500_

It was one of those Saturdays when Roxas and Sora woke up much earlier than everybody else in the house. Because they had nothing to do, they took a shower and, to surprise their parents and Ven, decided to prepare sandwiches for them.

There was one problem: they couldn't cook. But hey, they had seen their mother do it several times, so what could possibly go wrong?

Sora took a can of tuna spread and some tomatoes from the refrigerator, while Roxas volunteered to make scrambled eggs. He managed to safely turn on the fire, and while waiting for the skillet to heat up, he beat five eggs together in a bowl.

"How much salt do I have to add to the egg?" asked Roxas as he continued beating.

"Um, I dunno," Sora shrugged, unsure of the answer himself. "But usually the eggs made by mom aren't too salty."

"I guess it depends on the person," replied Roxas. "How would you like it, Sora? Is it okay if I make it salty?"

Sora nodded in reply. "Yeah. I mean, eggs are supposed to be salty, right? I think you can just add in as much salt as you want."

Taking his brother's words as an approval, Roxas didn't hesitate in adding three tablespoonfuls of salt into the bowl. He then proceeded to pour the beaten egg onto the skillet—"Don't forget the oil!" Sora had reminded—and scrambled it.

Sora had finished spreading the tuna on the slices of bread, so Roxas topped it with his scrambled egg. After decorating the plate with poorly sliced tomatoes, the twins took their time admiring their work of art, and were sure that Ven and their parents would love it.

To reward themselves, they took one sandwich each. Without much ado, they took a huge bite…

… and their excited expressions were immediately replaced by funny ones.

They stayed silent for a few seconds before finally succumbing to the horrendous, overly salty taste of their own creation. Faster than wind, they darted to the bathroom, opened the door, spat everything out into the toilet bowl, and drank as much water from the tap as possible.

"Sora… I think…" Roxas stuttered, his tongue still feeling dry from the sheer amount of salt. "I think… it's best to just let mom make breakfast…"

"You're right… you're a terrible cook!" Sora remarked, gaining a playful bop on his head from his brother. However, they weren't out of the woods yet; they still had to do something about the food fiasco. "What should we do with the sandwiches?"

"Let's flush them… before mom finds out," the blonde suggested.

And down the toilet bowl the sandwiches went. After that, Roxas and Sora hurriedly washed the utensils and put everything back in their respective places. Now they could really say they were safe, and nobody would find out about their crime.


	44. Too Sweet

_Thank-yous: to Ixara and Butterman for reviewing. To Butterman, where I live, people add both pepper and salt into eggs. They can manage with unpeppered eggs, but unsalted ones are almost always considered incomplete._

_Pre-note: This chapter is the direct continuation of the previous one._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XLIV. Too Sweet**  
_491 / 500_

After that salt-related little incident, Roxas and Sora decided to instead prepare some milk for the whole family. After all, what could possibly go wrong pouring milk from the carton into mugs?

Just before Sora filled Ven's large mug, Roxas stopped him from doing so. "Ven doesn't like full cream. He likes condensed milk, remember?"

"Ah, yeah! Do you know where mom puts the can?" asked Sora.

Roxas thought for a while, then started raiding the cabinets. He finally found what he was looking for, but the milk can was still unopened. Using the can opener, he poked two holes on the base of the can.

When Sora asked why he had to make two holes, Roxas decided to just demonstrate it by pouring the milk to Ven's mug, but with one finger over one of the holes. Sure enough, not much flowed through the free hole. However, when he lifted his finger, the milk flowed uninhibited.

Roxas then opened and shut the other hole in a rhythmic manner, causing the liquid to stop and go. Sora, too, did the same thing. For some reason, this activity was to their delight, so much that they started giggling in utter amusement and became carried away.

Before they realised it, all 198 grams of the can's content had been transferred into Ven's mug. They decided that it was time to stop messing around; unaware of the amount of the condensed milk in the mug, they added water close to the point of overflowing and stirred it.

Satisfied, and positive that nothing would go wrong, Roxas and Sora left the mugs on the dining table and went to the living room to play.

* * *

At eight, everybody but the father had gathered around the table for breakfast. Mrs. Skylers had made sandwiches, which prompted the twins to exchange knowing smiles. She had also thanked them for having prepared the milk, and given them some pocket money for their efforts.

Ven was amazed that his brothers remembered his preference. Without much thought, he chugged the drink while Roxas and Sora watched, anticipating a stream of praise…

… but instead, what they got was a funny face.

They knew of that reaction and became horrified. They realised they must have done something wrong with the milk… but they simply couldn't recall their mistake. What could it have been?

Before they could ask, Ven faked a smile and nodded, ensuring them that it was alright. In truth, he really wanted to spit out the sickeningly, overwhelmingly sweet concoction without Roxas and Sora's knowledge so as not to hurt their feelings. The toilet immediately came to mind.

Just before Ven made his exit, however, Mr. Skylers strolled in, bringing with him a not-very-pleasant piece of information. "The front toilet is clogged. I'll call the plumber to have it checked and taken care of."

Nobody noticed that Roxas and Sora's faces, after hearing what their father had just said, paled.

* * *

_Post-note: Just to put it into perspective, 198 grams is around 0.44 pounds, or 0.8 cups._


	45. Draw

_Thank-yous: to Ixara, Butterman, Kupkake, and Riilustra - Your Sweetest SIN for reviewing. To Butterman, it was from a personal experience. To Kupkake, well, explaining it with words is slightly complicated, but it all boils down to writing down what I have done wrong and repeat it for a certain number of times._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XLV. Draw**  
_479 / 500_

_It was art class, and the teacher had instructed the kindergartners to draw the shape they liked the most. The task seemed mundane, but she had ulterior motives: gauging her students' interest in arts. With that in mind, she walked around, to have a look at the shapes drawn by the group of children._

_Square…_

_Triangle…_

_Circle…_

_So far, all the shapes she had seen on the paper were ordinary. Indeed there were some pentagons and even hexagons, but they were just extended iterations of your usual everyday shapes. Nevertheless, she continued observing her students, hoping to catch a glimpse of anything out of the ordinary._

_Finally, she came across a boy who was so immersed in his activity. He was drawing something notably different from his friends. On his piece of paper was a ten-edged, five-pointed shape, one that was unique among the other drawings._

_It was a star, and the boy was Sora._

_"A star, huh?" said the teacher. Sora was surprised, but soon recovered and nodded without saying a word, his attention still focused on his drawing. "Why star, Sora?"_

_"Because it has five points, just like the number of people in my family," replied the four-year-old. He then drew stickman figures, one at each point of the star. "Here's daddy, here's mommy, here's Ven, here's Roxas, and here's me. And…"_

_"And…?"_

_He then flashed his adorable grin. "And it's like a paopu fruit! When people share a paopu, they become a part of each other's lives. Look!" He then showed his drawing to the teacher; the star had been transformed into said fruit. "That's why I draw everyone on a big paopu, because I'm a part of their lives, and they're a part of mine."_

* * *

"Sora? Are you sleeping?"

The brunet was yanked to reality by Roxas' voice. He didn't realise he had been spacing out for more than five minutes while staring at a three-year-old drawing in his hand. Handling it carefully, he put it on his desk before returning to pack up his pile of paper for recycling.

"What's that?" asked a curious Roxas.

Sora shook his head. "Nothing."

"Really?" Roxas shot a look of unbelief. "You know it's gonna end up in this plastic bag if it's really nothing."

Sora stuck out his tongue at Roxas. Nobody would take the drawing away, for it held a special meaning to him. Should Roxas attempt to, he would have to endure countless hours of tickle torture, and Sora knew he wouldn't last five seconds.

Sora actually felt dumb there for a second for having lost it somewhere in his drawer. Now that he had found it, however, he would treat it with utmost care, frame it, and display it in the living room for everybody to see.

Losing it again would be like losing his family, which was something he dared not even imagine.


	46. Strong

_Thank-yous: to zyla1998, Butterman, and Ixara for reviewing, favouriting, and/or following._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XLVI. Strong**  
_490 / 500_

"Ven, can you help me?"

Said blonde stopped his little guitar performance and turned around to see a little version of himself standing by the door. "Not if you're stealing candies," he said playfully.

"No, I'm not! We're running out of drinking water. I wanna change the bottle, but it's too heavy," replied the younger blonde.

Ven gave a nod. It was impossible for the kids to lift a nineteen-kilogram water bottle and install it on the dispenser. "Gimme a sec, okay? I'll be there soon to help you."

Roxas beamed at Ven's words. He immediately walked downstairs, all while shouting at the top of his lungs. "Sora! Ven's gonna change the water bottle for us!"

"Really? Wow, let's go see!" replied Sora from an unknown location.

Why his brothers always get excited over things as trivial as changing the water bottle, Ven had no idea. Perhaps it was because they saw him as someone with superhuman strength who could always be relied on? Whatever it was, he loved their admiration, so he wouldn't question it.

Sora was the first to notice Ven entering the kitchen. "Here comes the strongman!" he exclaimed in glee.

"C'mon, Ven. Show us your strength," Roxas urged.

Ven decided to play along to entertain the children. He approached the water dispenser with big steps, rolled up his sleeve, and flexed his arms. Although he was far from muscular, his impersonation of those bodybuilders with absurdly huge biceps succeeded in eliciting applause from the children.

After that, Ven lifted the bottle from the ground, causing his brothers to cheer. Wanting to take it even further, he held it in the air above his head, although his arms were trembling from doing so. Roxas and Sora were practically high at this point; they cheered and applauded even more loudly in awe of Ven's strength.

Alas, Ven's arms gave way.

His grip failed and the bottle fell down.

"Oh, shoot—"

With a loud crash.

Luckily, they managed to step away from the ground zero at the last second. However, what they saw next nailed them to the ground.

The impact with the ground made a hole on the base of the bottle from which water spilt out. It didn't help that it was still rolling along the floor, flooding other parts of the kitchen. They could only watch as the bottle made its way to the wall across with a rumbling sound, where it finally came to a complete rest and happily emptied its content.

"I don't think… mom's gonna like this…" Roxas gulped.

The other boys nodded in agreement. Without thinking, Ven threw away the now good-for-nothing bottle while the twins scurried to find a wipe, mop, or anything absorbent. They had one common goal, and it was to clean up the royal mess they had made before their mother found out about it.

As boys, they might be strong and all, but before her, they cowered.

* * *

_Post-note: 19 kilograms is about 42 pounds._


	47. Smile

_Thank-yous: to Butterman, Ixara, and Kupkake for reviewing._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XLVII. Smile**  
_487 / 500_

Usually Ven would take his motorcycle to the university, but not today. There had been this impulse that had compelled him to take the bus instead, an impulse he yielded to without much thought.

As soon as he seated himself in the bus, he put on those earphones of his, disconnecting from reality as the music from his phone started to play. Normally, every word from outside would be filtered out by the earphones, but once again, it wasn't the case today.

"Mama, what's an angel?"

It was just two bus stops to his destination when he heard those words from a girl even younger than his twin brothers. Surreptitiously, he took his phone from his shirt pocket and paused the song in order to listen to the conversation initiated by the girl. It wasn't that he was eavesdropping since they were in public anyway, but he wouldn't want to get caught being suddenly interested in what shouldn't have been his business.

The mother seemed to think for a moment before coming up with an answer. "An angel is someone who's very kind and loving. Why'd you ask?"

"Oh, I see. So you're an angel!" said the daughter with a wide grin.

Unbeknownst to Ven, his own lips had curled into a smile. He remembered, sometimes Roxas and Sora would ask simple, innocent questions whose depths and meanings they were not fully aware of. Children seemed to have a knack for pointing out things grownups—although he wouldn't consider himself an adult yet—tend to miss, and he wondered why.

The mother gave a chuckle. "I'm not, dearie. Angels are in heaven."

"Then tell me, did it hurt when you fell down from heaven? It's so high up there! Did papa fall down too?"

"I, uh… how should I say—"

"If you and papa are angels, does it mean I'm an angel, too? I didn't remember falling down from heaven…"

It was so unfortunate that Ven had to alight at the next stop. He was in the midst of enjoying the conversation, and judging from their sweet expressions, he was sure other passengers were, too. Slightly unwilling, he made his way out of the bus, but not before throwing the girl a quick smile; she reciprocated with one of her own.

Who would have thought one bus ride had made his morning a thousand times better? Ven didn't regret his decision of leaving the motorcycle behind; although it cost him some money and time, he was glad he had followed his gut feeling—so to say. Thanks to the girl and her mother, there was this persistent smile that refused to leave his face that made him feel pleasant and warm inside.

By the way, Ven got caught red-handed staring into blank space while smiling during one of the lectures. He really needed to thank his lucky stars nobody had made an attempt to refer him to a mental hospital.


	48. Kiss

_Thank-yous: to Butterman and Ixara for reviewing._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XLVIII. Kiss**  
_494 / 500_

Which one of the following hurt more than the other: toothache or heartache?

A few weeks back, when he had one of his molars extracted, Roxas heard Ven mention that the latter was worse than the former. That time, he had no idea how much of a big deal being heartbroken was, but now, he knew.

* * *

_That day, after school, Roxas and Sora came over to Xion's house to help out in her art club project._

_The project required Xion to create paper-based decorations, so she had decided to make snowflakes by means of kirigami and chain them together. Thanks to her parents, the materials were all present, and they could begin any time now._

_It turned out that Roxas was blessed with remarkable manual dexterity. He found folding and cutting out detailed and complicated shapes no problem. As a result, he had three snowflakes ready in just seven minutes._

_On the other hand, Sora was having problems. Although he folded neatly, he wasn't as adept as his brother in cutting shapes with scissors, so he resorted to using a utility knife. With a ruler's aid, Sora's work efficiency was boosted._

_However, his constant conversation with Xion distracted him. The lapse of attention caused him to cut his index finger and yelp in pain; the wound was nothing severe, but deep enough it started to bleed._

_"Sora! You okay?" asked Xion, worry lacing her voice._

_Said boy sucked the wound to stop the bleeding. "That kinda hurt…"_

_"Sora, don't do that," Roxas warned. He knew that contrary to popular belief, saliva would just worsen the wound and eventually trigger infection. "I'll get some water, then we're gonna patch it up. Okay?"_

_After getting acknowledgement from his brother, the blonde exited the room. He took several sheets of tissue and soaked them with water, but couldn't locate the first aid box where the antiseptic and band-aid were. Instead of wasting time looking for something whose whereabouts were unknown, Roxas decided to do what could be done for now._

_Upon returning, Roxas wiped the blood from Sora's finger and applied some pressure. Unfortunately the wound was deeper than they had thought; the blood still seeped out from the cut. Roxas wiped it clean again, but what he saw next… he hadn't expected it._

_Xion kissed the tip of Sora's finger, precisely on the wounded area. Roxas and Sora stayed silent as Xion explained to them that her mother had said that there was no wound a kiss couldn't fix._

_Roxas didn't know why, but he was burning. He could feel something inside him crack, although he wasn't aware what it was. The only thing he knew was that right now, he felt very sad as though having been left behind._

_'Why am I feeling like this?' he asked inwardly, his mental voice shaky._

* * *

That was Roxas' first case of heartbreak. Having experienced it, he had to agree with Ven that it hurt more than toothache.


	49. Snow

_Thank-yous: to Butterman and Ixara for reviewing._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**XLIX. Snow**  
_497 / 500_

It was summer. Three best friends sat on the beach, resting after two hours of playing in the water. However, the sunshine was still too much for them to handle, so they took refuge in the shades of a paopu tree.

"It's this kind of weather that makes you wish winter would come sooner," said Riku.

"But we can't do anything in winter," Sora remarked. "It's too cold to play in the water, and it never snows. We can't build snowmen like the ones in movies."

"Snowmen are for kids. Big boys play snowball fight, and that's what makes snowy winters so fun."

"Well, you need snow for both of them."

"True."

Silence set in, and boredom followed right after. They would have plunged into the sea straightaway had they not been this tired. Sora and Riku lay down on the sand, feasting their senses on the sound of waves crashing against the shore and the occasional gentle breeze.

Sora suddenly sat up. He looked at his female friend—she was staring at the sea, appreciating its beauty—and shot her a question. "Kairi, does it snow where you came from?"

Kairi's eyebrows furrowed as she started to jog her memory. She had left her hometown at the age of three; because of that, she only had the vaguest memory about that place. She did remember, though, that Radiant Garden too had four distinct seasons, but unlike Destiny Islands, it snowed there due to its inland location.

"Yeah, I think so," she replied. "But dad and… mom, they never liked snow."

"Huh? Why? Isn't it supposed to be fun?" asked Sora. He was incredulous; how could anyone possibly hate snow?

Kairi shrugged. "I dunno, I thought so too. They said the fun is only for a day or so, then everything gets really messy. The snow melts into brown water and gets everywhere, and the ground becomes slippery. I don't remember how it looks like, though."

"Eww. Sounds disgusting…" Sora cringed.

"Looks like everything has its ups and downs, huh," said Riku as he sat up. He then scanned the surroundings, trying to spot a certain something. "Snow may be cool and all, but I wouldn't wanna do all the cleaning after it melts, thank you very much. I'd rather stick with… hmm…"

Riku's actions prompted Sora and Kairi to do the same. They asked him what he was looking for, but he responded that they would know once they spotted it.

Sora was about to pull off a disapproving face at Riku's secrecy, but he ended up smiling instead upon seeing someone pushing a cart loaded with goodness. "That's him!" he squealed in delight.

Riku looked at where Sora was pointing and nodded in agreement. "Yup, that's what I was talking about. C'mon, let's grab some snow ice."

With the thought of refreshing shaved ice—topped with syrup and condensed milk, too—in their head, the trio left their shaded sanctuary and headed in the direction of the ice vendor.


	50. Emotions

_Thank-yous: to Butterman and Ixara for reviewing._

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Kingdom Hearts franchise, nor do I own the song Voice of an Angel._

_Enjoy the read._

* * *

**L. Emotions**  
_494 / 500_

"Hi, Ven! Wanna hear a nice song?"

The nineteen-year-old politely refused the offer since he was busy with his project. "Sorry, Sora. Perhaps later?"

At the reply, Sora stooped his head dejectedly. He respected Ven's decision, though; their parents had stated that it was rude to force people into agreeing with your request if they refused. With that, he muttered a weak "okay" and exited the room.

Seeing Sora's reaction, Ven felt guilty. He hadn't expected his refusal to have saddened his brother so. Without thinking, he got up, caught up with Sora, and stated his change of mind. "You know, I think I could use some break. Why don't we listen to it?"

In a flash, a smile made its way to the kid's face. He seized Ven's hand and took him to the living room, where Roxas had been waiting, in a burst of speed.

* * *

"This song reminds us of you."

"And why's that?"

"When you listen to the lyrics, I think you'll understand."

Since Roxas wasn't using the piano chair—he was too short, so his foot wouldn't be able to reach the pedal if he sat—Ven dragged it out of the way and sat on it. With Roxas on the piano and Sora ready to sing, the recital commenced.

_When I'm lying in the darkness and I'm half afraid to sleep,_  
_I keep thinking of tomorrow and the thoughts that lie so deep._  
_Then I pray in talking whispers, 'cause I know that somewhere near_  
_is the presence of an angel; come, to hold me through my fear._

Ven observed Sora sing. Although he was looking at the scores, the kid had gotten so immersed in the lyrics. Also, it was evident that he delivered the song with profound emotions.

_And who are you who guides me, my messenger of light?_  
_Will you walk beside me now beyond the day and night? Oh,_  
_who are you who guides me with words I cannot write?_

There was a slight pause here, and it was then that Ven felt all warm, fuzzy, and tingly inside. He was overcome with pleasant emotions. As he finally understood what Roxas had meant when he said the song reminded them of him, his cracked a smile.

_It's the voice of an angel, the voice of an angel,_  
_the voice of an angel; come, to hold me close this night._

When the song ended, Ven gave a standing ovation. "That's… wonderful," he said. "Did you learn it from your choir?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah. Did you like it?"

"Do you even need to ask?" Ven smiled as he ruffled the children's hair. Then, out of the blue, he stated jokingly, "I wanna hear the song again before I die. Make it happen, okay?"

Roxas and Sora were unsure if that was supposed to be a compliment, although they took it as that anyway. After all, he wanted them to perform again; that was what counts, and they were happy.

* * *

_Post-note: Well, that marks the fiftieth chapter of this story. I figure I could use some break right now. I'm not abandoning this, though! For how long the break is going to be, I can't say for sure, but rest assured that once I update, it'd be another stretch of fifty continuous updates just like before. I'd be working on a KH story, a take on horror, in order to refresh my mind. It's titled Skeleton in the Closet and you're welcome to check it out if interested. I'll see you later!_


End file.
